Houston Astros vs Los Angeles Angels Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 8/31/25, 10:56 AM  by Carlos Zabala | Modified on 8/31/25 at 4:55 PM in MLB Picks

With the addition of Carlos Correa and the return of home run hitter Yordan Álvarez after a long wait, the Astros' core is virtually the same as the one that dominated and won the championship in 2017 and 2022.

At Camden Yards, in their series against the O's, the Astros had an offensive explosion that fizzled out on their return home; however, they swept the Rockies thanks primarily to elite pitching. In the weekend series against the Angels, the pitching once again responded like never before. Cristian Javier pitched a no-hitter for six innings against the Halos in a Game 1 that the Astros won 2-0 thanks to an RBI single by Correa and a sac fly by Álvarez.

Finally, the Astros didn't get away with their poor hitting in Game 2, which was especially concerning as they only managed to score one run off the Angels' veteran Hendricks, who entered the game with an ERA above 5.00.

Even so, the Astros kept Friday's game tied 1-1 until the 9th inning. Joe Espada then gave the ball to reliable reliever Abreu, who, uncharacteristically, was the one who fouled off, allowing a 3-run inning for the Angels.