The Red Sox are hot, while the Angels are not, trends that will continue Monday night 

Red Sox at Angels 

Angel Stadium – Anaheim, CA 

9:38 PM ET 

Los Angeles -125 

Even Steven. That’s how this one looks on paper. 

The Red Sox come into the game 27-27, while the Angels are sitting at 27-28. Both appear to be the definition of mediocre, middling teams trying to find their way roughly one-third into the season. 

But the truth is far different. In reality, these are two teams heading in vastly different directions. 

Boston hasn’t been at .500 since April 22. At one point, they were 10-19 on the season. They’ve gone 17-8 since that point, including their current four-game winning streak. 

Meanwhile, Los Angeles hasn’t won a game since May 24. That was nearly two weeks ago, when the Angels beat the Rangers to move to 27-17 on the season. Since that day, they’ve dropped 11-consecutive games, finding all sorts of ways to lose. Yesterday, they gave up three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to fall below .500. 

The Angels are coming off getting swept by the Phillies, while the Red Sox just broomed the A’s. One team is hot. The other, to put it mildly, is not. 

L.A. will send Noah Syndergaard to the mound in hopes of righting the ship. The righthander is 4-3 on the season with a 4.02 ERA. He started the last time the Angels won a game, providing a beacon of hope tonight. 

Boston counters with Michael Wacha. The righty is 3-1 with a 2.43 ERA. The Red Sox lost his last start, but he pitched well, giving up just one run in a 2-1 defeat to the Reds. Prior to that outing, his team had won in his last six starts. 

It’s hard to imagine a team with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani losing more than they win. It’s particularly difficult to comprehend them dropping 11-straight games. 

Thus, the oddsmakers still believe in the Angels. That feels like blind faith. 

Boston will win again. L.A.’s downward spiral will continue. 

Richard DeMala’s pick: Boston M/L (+112) 

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Monday’s MLB Quick Picks 

Arizona M/L (+110) 

Houston M/L (-165)