Rangers vs. Angels Best Bet | August 26, 2025
Written by: Danny Burke
Last Update: Tue Aug 26, 2025, 1:04 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
mlb
Rangers vs. Angels: The Los Angeles Angels picked up their first win of the season against the Texas Rangers with a 4-0 shutout on Monday. Texas, now 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, is struggling at the plate during a pivotal stretch. The Rangers swept the Angels when they met in April, but can Los Angeles turn the tables this time? Let's dive into my best bet for the Rangers vs. Angels.
For additional information on picks, props, moneylines, and more on today's slate, take a look at our MLB Picks Page or our MLB Odds Page, here.
Rangers vs. Angels Best Bets – August 26
Can Mike Trout capitalize against the struggling Patrick Corbin?
Check out BetOnline's New No Strings Welcome Offer that gives new MLB players up to $250 in Free Bets and 100 Free Casino Spins with their first deposit. Find out more about this Promotion as well as lots of other Free Sportsbook Promos right here!
It's a battle of lefties this evening, with Yusei Kikuchi on the mound for the Angels and veteran Patrick Corbin for the Rangers. Both pitchers have their issues, but one southpaw especially stands out for just how poorly he's been performing.
Angels vs. Corbin
Corbin continues to regress as the season wears on. He's given up 11 earned runs over his last two starts, and his average xFIP (Expected Fielding Independent of Pitching) sits at 6.46 across his previous four outings.
This shouldn't come as a surprise – Corbin has been a liability for quite some time, and his overall numbers have reflected that since the start of the year. He owns a 4.61 ERA, 4.66 expected ERA, and 4.33 xFIP, while producing a low 37% ground-ball rate, a 1.41 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Innings Pitched), and just an 11.2% strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Even a Triple-A lineup would be tempting to back against Corbin, but it's especially appealing with an Angels offense that's heating up. Over the past month, Los Angeles has crushed lefties, ranking second in ISO (.233) and sixth in both wRC+ (125) and OPS (.824).
That's an enormous leap for this Angels lineup. From Opening Day through July 25, they posted just a .178 ISO, 86 wRC+, and a .683 OPS against lefties. They are getting hot at the right time and we should be licking our chops at the opportunity to back them against a vulnerable arm in Corbin.
Lucky Lefty
Let's turn to the other southpaw. Yusei Kikuchi has benefited from some good fortune despite what his surface stats suggest. His ERA sits at 3.42, but the underlying numbers tell a different story: a 4.39 xERA, 4.11 xFIP, a .323 BABIP (Batting Average of Balls in Play) allowed, and a 1.42 WHIP.
Despite the red flags, Kikuchi has managed to stay afloat and remain fairly productive. Still, his numbers pale in comparison to the struggles of Corbin. While Kikuchi's profile may cause concern over the long haul, he should be more than capable against a weaker opposing pitcher and a Texas lineup that ranks just 25th in ISO against lefties over the past month (.122).
Not only have the Rangers lacked power against lefties since the end of July, but their overall run production has also been underwhelming, with a 101 wRC+ and a .711 OPS. Normally, I'd hesitate to back a pitcher like Kikuchi – especially on the road, where he's been less effective – but the stars seem to be aligning for this matchup. The betting market agrees, as the Angels opened as underdogs around +104 and are now listed as high as -116 as the favorite at select books.
Best Bet
I considered narrowing my wager to the First Five Innings since most of my handicap revolves around fading Corbin, and I don't expect him to last much longer than that. However, I feel more confident in the full-game outlook.
As mentioned, Kikuchi has his own concerns and could put the Angels in an early hole that takes time to overcome. Also, the Angels' bullpen has shown steady improvement throughout the year, while the Rangers' relief unit has slightly declined.
On top of that, we're getting about 20 cents cheaper of a price on the full-game moneyline compared to the First Five.
Best Bet: Angels Moneyline (-107) odds via BetOnline
Want More Betting Content?
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER
Follow me on X @dannyburke5 for all my picks, analysis and plenty more. Also be sure to follow Betting News on 'X' and Twitch to catch us on stream! Betting News is also on TikTok! Follow us for more picks and news every day!
In need of a sportsbook? Check out one of our favorites below among our best online sportsbooks and sign-up for a bonus!
Check Out All of Our Betting Resources at Betting News
- Picks & Odds for the NFL
- NFL Betting Guide for Beginners
- Pick & Odds for NCAAF
- NCAAF Betting Guide for Beginners
- Picks & Odds in the MLB
- MLB Betting Guide for Beginners
- Picks & Odds in the NBA
- NBA Betting Guide for Beginners
- Picks & Odds in the NHL
- NHL Betting Guide for Beginners
More Betting Stories
Danny Burke is a betting analyst with a decade of sports media experience. He got his start at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, sharing picks on the local ESPN affiliate. After college, he hosted shows for VSiN in Las Vegas before returning to Chicago to launch 'Rush Hour', the first daily sports betting show from an Illinois casino. He also co-hosted 'Props and Locks' on Fox32’s Bears pregame show and ran 'Bet On, Chicago' on WLS-AM 890.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.
More MLB News
