Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros Prediction & Match Preview - April 19th | MLB Season 2022

The Los Angeles Angels will clash with division favorites the Houston Astros for the second game of their three-game series today at Minute Maid Park. The Astros beat the Angels 8-3 in their first encounter of the series.The Astros improved to 6-4 and still sit atop the American League West, while the Angels maintained the second spot with a 6-5 record.

It will be a battle of lefties on the mound as the Angels have chosen Patrick Sandoval to start. Meanwhile, Framber Valdez has been selected by the Astros.

Match Details

Fixture: Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros | MLB Regular Season 2022

Date & Time: Tuesday, April 19, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas

Los Angeles Angels Team Preview

Los Angeles Angels catcher Max Stassi

The Los Angeles Angels have begun their series against the Astros without club star Mike Trout. He suffered a minor wrist injury last Sunday in a game against the Texas Rangers. The X-rays came back negative for possible bone breaks and his status remains day-to-day.

With Trout's status unclear, the Angels offense will need to pick up the slack in his possible absence.

Key Player - Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani batting against the Houston Astros

Reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani has had a relatively slow start to the season in terms of batting percentages. He has a slash line of .234/.265/.468 with three homers and seven RBIs, all team highs. He also has two doubles to add to the list. That said, Sho-time arrived big time against the Texas Rangers, blasting 3 homers in two games.

"Since this day, Shohei Ohtani is hitting over .300 with 3 HR and 7 RBI in 5 games" - @ B/R Walk-Off

With his smash partner Trout day-to-day, look for Ohtani to do some heavy lifting in this one.

Los Angeles Angels Predicted Lineup

Starting Pitcher - Patrick Sandoval

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mike Trout, CF
3. Anthony Rendon, 3B
4. Taylor Ward, RF
5. Matt Duffy, 1B
6. Jo Adell, LF
7. Kurt Suzuki, C
8. Andrew Velazquez, SS
9. Tyler Wade, 2B

Houston Astros Team Preview

Jose Altuve exits the game with a possible injury

The Astros could be without the services of All-Star Jose Altuve. He strained his hamstring on a fielding play in the eighth inning of their game against the Los Angeles Angels yesterday. Additional tests are yet to be administered on Altuve. Look for the Angels to make this second game a nip-and-tuck affair if Mike Trout returns to the field.

Key Player - Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Peña batting against the Angels

The young phenom out of the Dominican Republic is off to a hot start in the big leagues. Houston's front office has picked Jeremy Peña as the replacement for former Houston Astros star Carlos Correa, and so far, he has lived up to the billing.

"Jeremy Peña walks with the bases loaded and gets his first MMP RBI." - @ Apollo Media

He is batting .344/.389/.389 with a homer, three RBIs, 11 base hits, three doubles, and a triple. Talk about stuffing the stat sheet. Look for him to continue this momentum against the Angels.

Houston Astros Predicted Lineup

Starting Pitcher - Framber Valdez

1. Jose Altuve, 2B
2. Michael Brantley, LF
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Yordan Alvarez, DH
5. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
6. Kyle Tucker, RF
7. Jose Siri, CF
8. Jeremy Peña, SS
9. Martin Maldonado, C

Angels vs Astros Match Prediction

It will be a tight battle as both teams have injured stars whose statuses are uncertain at the moment. The Astros have a more well-rounded team than the Angels, though, so that should translate into the final result. Astros win, 6-3.

Where to Watch Angels vs Astros

The game is available to watch in Bally Sports West for the Los Angeles area and in ATT SportsNet-SW for Houston. You can also listen to it on the radio through KLAA 830 for the Los Angeles Angels and KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KTRH 740 AM/99.1 FM HD-2, and TUDN 93.3/KLAT 1010 for the Houston Astros.