San Francisco Giants vs
Los Angeles AngelsPredictions & Preview

Giants vs Angels Preview: Verlander to Face Kikuchi in Interleague Battle as Angels Aim to Extend Series Lead

The 2025 MLB season continues with a 16-game card on Easter, featuring a doubleheader at Coors Field in Denver. In this preview, we focus on the interleague battle between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The Angels currently lead the series 1-0 after taking the opener 2-0. Sunday's game is a pick 'em contest with a total of 8.5 runs. Justin Verlander with an ERA of 6.75 will start for the Giants, while Yusei Kikuchi with an ERA of 4.12 will start for the Angels. San Francisco is the betting favorite at -110, with the line remaining unchanged. Stay tuned for our MLB pick on this matchup, one of many games on the jam-packed 16-game slate.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Giants -110 | Angels -102
• Spread: Giants -1.5 (+147) | Angels +1.5 (-170)
• Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that San Francisco will win straight-up is 52%.

San Francisco vs Los Angeles Stats

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants suffered their second consecutive defeat on Friday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, losing 6-4. Despite an excellent performance from Logan Webb, who struck out 12 and allowed just two runs (one earned) on four hits, the Giants offense managed only four hits against Tyler Anderson and the Phillies bullpen. The Giants bullpen has been impressive this season, boasting a 1.83 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and .181 batting average against. On Sunday, Justin Verlander is set to start for the Giants, but he has struggled so far this season with an 0-1 record, 6.75 ERA, and 1.77 WHIP in four starts. Verlander has a career 17-11 record with a 3.51 ERA in 34 starts against the Angels, but last season he struggled with a 7.36 ERA in three starts. The Giants currently have a power ranking of 10, ranking 4th in offense (5.20 runs scored per game) and 6th in defense (3.70 runs allowed per game), with a record of 14-7 for the season.

Los Angeles Angels Analysis

The Los Angeles Angels snapped a four-game losing streak by narrowly defeating the Giants 5-4 on Friday. The win was sealed with a strong performance from Tyler Anderson, who threw six scoreless innings, and Kenley Jansen, who earned his fifth save of the year. Despite the victory, the Angels bullpen has struggled this season, with a high ERA and batting average against. Yusei Kikuchi is set to start on Sunday, looking to improve upon his 0-3 record this season. The Angels are ranked 29th overall but have a strong offense ranking at 15th, averaging 4.26 runs per game. In their last three matchups, San Francisco went 1-2 against Los Angeles.

Verlander's Recent Struggles Raise Concerns Ahead of Matchup Against Angels

Currently, there may be some concerns regarding Justin Verlander's performance, as he has given up 13 runs, 12 earned, in his last three starts. Notably, the Los Angeles Angels have had success against Verlander in the past, with him allowing six earned runs in 10 innings at Angel Stadium in 2024. Conversely, the San Francisco Giants have shown proficiency against Yusei Kikuchi, going 12-for-43 with four home runs. It is worth noting that the Giants have struggled against left-handed pitchers in recent games, with a .203/.269/.376 slash line and 84 wRC+. In contrast, the Angels have fared better against right-handed pitchers, boasting a .223/.264/.449 slash line and a 103 wRC+ in the last 10 days. Therefore, considering these factors, I am leaning towards the Angels in this matchup.

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