The Los Angeles Angels host the Houston Astros on Friday, June 20, 2025. First pitch from Angel Stadium is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on Space City Home Network and FanDuel Sports West.
Hunter Brown versus Yusei Kikuchi will be the pitching matchup for the opener of a three-game series between these AL West rivals.
Continue below to find my Astros vs Angels prediction for Friday night.
My Astros vs Angels Prediction
- Astros vs Angels picks: Under 8 (-110, BetMGM)
My Astros vs Angels best bet is Under 8. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Astros vs Angels Odds
| Astros Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -115 | 8 -110o / -110u | -190 |
| Angels Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -105 | 8 -110o / -110u | +155 |
Astros vs Angels Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Hunter Brown (HOU) | Stat | LHP Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) |
|---|---|---|
| 8-3 | W-L | 2-6 |
| 2.6 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 1.2 |
| 1.88/2.94 | ERA /xERA | 3.05/4.66 |
| 2.65/2.70 | FIP / xFIP | 4.19/4.46 |
| 0.93 | WHIP | 1.48 |
| 24.3 | K-BB% | 9.7 |
| 46.9 | GB% | 38.9 |
| 111 | Stuff+ | 95 |
| 99 | Location+ | 103 |
Astros vs Angels Preview
The under always needs to be considered with Hunter Brown on the mound. The Astros' ace has allowed two runs or fewer in 12 of his 14 starts this season.
Brown has not faced the Angels yet in 2025, but only Taylor Ward is hitting above .200 against him in his career.
This year, the Angels have not done well against most pitchers anyway — they are 25th in wRC+ (89), dipping to 82 in June so far.
Yusei Kikuchi is the key to ensuring a low-scoring game.
Even though the large margin between his expected and actual ERA suggests regression, he has been steady for the most part, only allowing more than three earned runs in two of his starts this year.
Against most Astros players, Kikuchi has performed well in his career, holding dangerous bats like Jeremy Pena, Cristian Walker and Jose Altuve to averages under .200.
Angel Stadium is a middle-of-the-pack park in run production, according to the Statcast Park Factors' leaderboard, sitting at 14th, which bodes well for Kikuchi and the recommendation from the Silent Sharp Unders system from Bet Labs.
Astros vs Angels Prediction, Betting Analysis
The Silent Sharp Unders system targets regular-season MLB games where both teams are performing well, yet the total has quietly dropped from open to close.
These are games featuring competent, winning teams with recent success, stable weather conditions, and closing totals in a common scoring range.
Despite both teams showing strength, the market subtly favors the under — likely due to matchup specifics, pitching, or pace factors.
By following this soft signal — when the public eye is more focused on win streaks and not totals — this system finds value in betting against inflated scoring expectations.
Pick: Under 8 (-110, BetMGM)
