There are 11 games scheduled for Opening Day of the 2026 MLB season on Thursday, March 26, including the Los Angeles Angels visting the Houston Astros at 4:10 p.m. ET.
To begin the season, Angels’ Jose Soriano (career-best 3.54 xFIP in 2025) and Astros’ Hunter Brown (3.15 xFIP) are set to take the mound. Brown has evolved into one of the premier pitchers in baseball.
Below, we’ll break down our Angels vs. Astros prediction and picks for Thursday’s Opening Day game. Make your MLB picks on PrizePicks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and totals!
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Angels vs. Astros Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
During the 2025 MLB season, Los Angeles finished with a 72-90 record, which put them in last place of the AL West. Meanwhile, Houston posted an 87-75 record, placing them behind the first-place Seattle Mariners in the same division.
The Angels haven’t earned a spot in the postseason since 2014, while the Astros are looking to get back on track after missing the playoffs last season. Houston had an eight-year postseason streak stretching from 2017 to 2024, including two World Series wins.
Although Los Angeles hasn’t experienced much success of late, they’re hoping a switch to former catcher Kurt Suzuki as manager leads to better results, and that OF Mike Trout (120 wRC+) can avoid the injury bug.
As for Houston, a new-look pitching staff around Brown and veterans 2B Jose Altuve (113 wRC+) and DH Yordan Alvarez (118 wRC+ in only 199 PAs in 2025) are expected to lead the charge in 2026. After fracturing his fingertip before the World Baseball Classic, SS Jeremy Pena has avoided the injury list, though his status for Thursday’s bout is unknown.
Angels vs. Astros Spread, Over/Under
The Angels enter Monday’s game as road underdogs, returning a 2.43x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
The Astros are home favorites with a 1.53x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 35 states.
- Spread: Astros -1.5 (2.17x payout)
- Over/Under: 7.5 Runs (1.78x payout on over)
- Game Winner Payout: Angels 2.43x | Astros 1.53x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Angels vs. Astros Prediction on Over/Under – 3/26/26
Here are the key stats to know before locking in your Angels vs. Astros MLB prediction on the 7.5 run total for Thursday, March 26, on PrizePicks.
- Astros SP Hunter Brown produced a 3.02 xFIP, 0.98 WHIP, and 30.0% strikeout rate at home, compared to a 3.33 xFIP, 1.07 WHIP, and 26.8% strikeout rate on the road in 2025, per FanGraphs.
- Once Brown exits the game, he’ll give way to a Houston bullpen that logged the second-best xERA (3.58) and highest strikeout rate (26.7%) a season ago.
- According to Baseball Savant, Angels SP Jose Soriano was in the 100th percentile in groundball rate (66.0%) in 2025.
- Perhaps the biggest concern: the Angels didn’t do much this offseason to improve a bullpen that had the fourth-worst xFIP (4.46) and ninth-worst xERA (4.13) last year.
- On the road last season, Los Angeles tallied the sixth-fewest runs per game (4.04).
- Although Astros DH Yordan Alvarez missed plenty of time in 2025, Houston averaged the fifth-fewest runs per game (3.94) at home.
- There have been fewer than 8 runs scored in six of the last 10 meetings between the Angels and Astros.
Angels vs. Astros Picks for PrizePicks Today: 3/26/26
Here are the top Angels vs. Astros picks to target for Thursday, March 26, on PrizePicks. Today’s MLB picks for PrizePicks are headlined by Astros SP Hunter Brown and Astros DH Yordan Alvarez.
Astros SP Hunter Brown vs. Angels Projection: 7 Strikeouts
- Although the Angels had the 10th-best ISO (.170) vs. right-handed pitching last season, they also had the fifth-worst wRC+ (92) and highest strikeout rate (27.1%) in that split.
- Throughout last season, Brown limited loud contact, ranking in the 97th percentile in hard-hit rate (32.2%) and 85th percentile in barrel rate (5.9%).
- Brown resided in the 85th percentile in strikeout rate (28.3%), 71st percentile in whiff rate (27.8%), and 63rd percentile in chase rate (29.4%) last season.
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Astros DH Yordan Alvarez vs. Angels Projection: 1.5 Hits+Runs+RBIs (Goblin)
- Before his injury-riddled 2025 campaign, Yordan Alvarez delivered at least 30 HRs, 86 RBIs, and a 167 wRC+ or better in three straight seasons.
- Considering his limited sample last year, it’s worth pointing out that he accrued an impressive .386 wOBA, 156 wRC+, and just a 13.1% strikeout rate vs. righties in 2024.
- When facing left-handed hitters in 2025, Angels SP Jose Soriano notched a 3.78 xFIP and 19.2% strikeout rate. Comparatively, Soriano recorded a 3.25 xFIP and 23.1% strikeout rate vs. right-handed batters.
Make Angels vs. Astros Picks on PrizePicks
The Angels lack lofty expectations entering the upcoming season, while the Astros have their sights set on making it back to the postseason. Who will begin the 2026 MLB season on the right foot?
You can make your Angels vs. Astros picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued MLB predictions, picks, and news throughout the 2026 season.
