UPDATE: Shohei Ohtani was scratched for Thursday’s start because traffic resulted in him arriving too late to get his pre-game workout in. He will start on Friday.
The Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics will begin a four-game set on Thursday at 9:40 p.m. ET. Shohei Ohtani will be on the mound for the Angels, while Chris Bassitt will start for the Athletics. We’ll go over some ideal picks on DraftKings Sportsbook centered around the game here
Angels vs. Athletics, 9:40 p.m. ET
Moneyline pick: Athletics -148
Outside of the San Francisco Giants playing the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, this might be one the best games of the night. Ohtani has been one of the best players in the majors and could end up winning the AL MVP. While he only has one win on the season, Ohtani has a blistering 2.37 ERA through six starts. The Angels have won three straight games, which includes the series finale last weekend against these same A’s. In those contests, they are averaging 8.6 runs per game, while their pitchers have an ERA of 5.00.
That being said, +128 odds for the Angels to win seems like an appealing play. But the best play is the Athletics on the ML with Bassitt on the mound. The 32-year-old just faced this Angels’ team, where he only allowed 5 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, and put up 8 strikeouts in 7.2 IP. The veteran pitcher is also 4-0 with an ERA of 3.26 in his last eight starts and has been a consistent starter for the A’s this season.
Player Prop: Chris Bassitt over 5.5 strikeouts (+102)
If you do not feel comfortable with playing the ML in this contest between the Angels and the Athletics, then a good play might be Bassitt’s strikeout prop for plus money. He has gone over 5.5 strikeouts in six out of his last 10 starts, including three out of his last four outings. Aforementioned, he’s going up against the Angels for the second time within a week. In their fist meeting in Anaheim, Bassitt had eight strikeouts in 7.2 IP.
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