The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, May 18, 2025. First pitch from Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on SportsNet LA and FanDuel Sports West.
The Angels enter Sunday in a surprising position with the potential to sweep the Dodgers in the Freeway Series. Can the Halos get it done?
Find my Angels vs Dodgers prediction for Sunday afternoon below.
My Angels vs Dodgers Prediction
- Angels vs Dodgers picks: Yusei Kikuchi Under 17.5 Outs Recorded (-115 | Play to -125)
My Angels vs Dodgers best bet is Yusei Kikuchi Under 17.5 Outs Recorded. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Angels vs Dodgers Odds
| Angels Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 +100 | 9 -110o / -110u | +180 |
| Dodgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -120 | 9 -110o / -110u | -220 |
Angels vs Dodgers Projected Starting Pitchers
| LHP Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) | Stat | RHP Tony Gonsolin (LAD) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | W-L | 2-0 |
| 0.5 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.5 |
| 3.72/4.91 | ERA /xERA | 2.81/2.43 |
| 4.64/4.47 | FIP / xFIP | 2.86/2.86 |
| 1.47 | WHIP | 1.06 |
| 10.0% | K-BB% | 27.0% |
| 41.0% | GB% | 33.3% |
| 95 | Stuff+ | 94 |
| 107 | Location+ | 105 |
Doug Ziefel’s Angels vs Dodgers Preview
Los Angeles Angels Betting Preview: Halos Show Fire Sans Trout
In one of the biggest shocks of "Rivalry Weekend," the Angels have taken the first two games of the Freeway series and have done so by mashing the Dodgers' pitching.
While it is unlikely, a closer look shows we should have seen this offensive outburst coming. The Angels have the third-lowest team batting average in the majors at .219, but they are fourth in xWOBACON.
Even without Mike Trout, this Angels lineup has shown it can barrel up balls regularly, and its xBA of .239, a 20-point difference from its actual batting average, is a testament to that.
However, they are in for some regression today as they will face a resurgent Tony Gonsolin, who has looked excellent in his three starts this season.
While the sample size is small, his outlook is great. He ranks in the 95th percentile in hard-hit rate allowed and has been tough to touch, holding a whiff rate in the 98th percentile.
Expect the Angels' bats to cool off this afternoon.
Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview: Great Matchup Against Kikuchi
In a rare sight, the Dodgers got outslugged last night, but their offensive output is a great sign and should carry over to this series finale as they step in against a familiar face.
Yusei Kikuchi takes the ball for the Angels, and the beginning of his tenure in LA has been fortunate, to say the least. He enters with a 3.72 ERA, but his WHIP is at 1.47, and his strikeout rate is down 8%.
For a pitcher like Kikuchi, who relies on strikeouts to get out of trouble, those are two ominous signs to take into an outing against the deepest lineup in baseball.
The Dodgers have seen Kikuchi quite well during all their interleague matchups. In 94 collective at-bats, they have hit .298 off the left-hander with a .532 slugging percentage.
The Dodgers have driven the ball with authority against Kikuchi in the past, and with his impending regression, we should see much more of that today.
Angels vs Dodgers Prediction, Betting Analysis
The Dodgers are primed to bounce back this afternoon and salvage the series. However, taking their moneyline or team total is a risky proposition given that those markets are efficient.
However, we can back them by fading Yusei Kikuchi directly. I broke down how the Japanese pitcher is due for significant regression, and the Dodgers should knock him around quite a bit.
With his pitch count high and the damage done on the scoreboard, you can bet he won't be long for this one. Take the under on his outs-recorded prop.
Pick: Yusei Kikuchi Under 17.5 Outs Recorded
