Angels and Twins are a pick’em in first game of today’s doubleheader
The Angels fit in a doubleheader (in this case a true twin bill) with the Minnesota Twins on Thursday to make up for games from April 17-18 that were postponed due to COVID-19 issues with the Twins.
The opener at Angel Stadium is at 1:07 p.m. with Alex Cobb (1-2, 5.48 ERA, 1.69 WHIP) coming off the injured list to face Minnesota’s Lewis Thorpe (0-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP), who is being added to the roster for this game.
MLB postponed the Angels’ games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday against visiting Minnesota because of the Twins’ multiple positive COVID-19 tests.
The Twins opened as a slight favorite in Las Vegas’ overnight lines, but the game had been bet to pick’em as of 9:45 a.m. Thursday with a few books making the Angels small favorites at -110 with the Twins at even money (+100).
Thorpe actually started the only game played in the previous seriesApril 16 with the Angels getting to him for two runs in four innings on the way to a 10-3 rout, so that probably explains the line move in the Angels’ direction. The Over/Under for the opener is set at seven runs with most books shading to the Under at -120 with the Over at +100. Reminder: these doubleheader games are only seven innings, so that’s why the total looks low (the Over/Under would probably be nine if this was a nine-inning game).
Angels newcomer Alex Cobb and holdover Patrick Sandoval each pitched three strong innings in a 4-2 spring victory over the Cleveland Indians.
In the nightcap (scheduled for 4:07 p.m.), the Angels’ Griffin Canning (3-2, 4.28 ERA, 1.38 WHIP) takes on Minnesota’s Jose Berrios (3-2, 3.74 ERA, 1.14 WHIP).
The Twins opened around -136 in this matchup, but again the early money has driven the line down to Twins -120/Angels +110 with an Over/Under of just six runs with the more appealing pitching matchup.
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