Blue Jays-Angels prediction: Picks, odds on Friday, April 7

The Los Angeles Angels welcome the streaking Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, April 7th for a star-studded 2023 home opener at Angel Stadium. Chris Bassitt (0-1, 24.30 ERA) will look to rebound from a disastrous first start in a Blue Jays uniform, while lefty Patrick Sandoval (1-0, 1.80 ERA) takes the mound for the Halos. First pitch is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET.

The Angels are currently listed as -125 favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Blue Jays check in as +105 underdogs. The run total is listed at 9.5.

Blue Jays-Angels picks: Friday, April 7th

Blue Jays

Out: SP Mitch White (elbow), RP Chad Green (Tommy John)

Angels

Out: SP Griffin Canning (shoulder), 1B Jared Walsh (headaches), C Max Stassi (hip)

Chris Bassitt vs. Patrick Sandoval

Bassitt had a nightmare start to his Blue Jays tenure, giving up four homers en route to nine earned runs in 3.1 innings against the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend. Still, he's been among the most consistently solid starters in baseball over the last few years with the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets, with a 3.31 ERA over 93 starts from 2019 through 2022. He's no stranger to the Angels from his time in Oakland, going 6-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 10 starts.

Sandoval is among the biggest boom-or-bust options around, and it pretty much all comes down to whether he can harness his changeup and slider or whether he's leaving them up in the zone. He had it working in his first start of 2023, giving up just one run over five innings, albeit against the Oakland Athletics' punchless lineup. He's faced the Blue Jays once before and it didn't go particularly well, giving up five runs in three innings of work.

Sandoval doesn't match up well with this fearsome Blue Jays lineup, and while I expect a better showing from Bassitt, Los Angeles has too much firepower to not at least chip in three or four runs of their own to make the over the right call.

Pick: Over 9.5

Again, I'm banking on Bassitt reverting to form and looking much more like the pitcher he's been over the last few years. He's tamed this Angels lineup before, and the lefty Sandoval should have a tough time with Toronto's slew of right-handed sluggers like George Springer, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Pick: Blue Jays

  
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