MLB American League West Predictions 2021, Odds and Expert Picks: Don't sleep on the Angels

Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) jokes around with third baseman David Fletcher (22) before a spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
Photo of Andrew Ortenberg

Andrew Ortenberg

MLB

Show Bio

I'm an NFL handicapper here at Pickswise who was raised in a household full of sports fanatics. Since I unfortunately never had LeBron James' jumping ability I wasn't able to make it to the NBA, and chose writing about sports as the next best thing. An avid sports bettor myself, I'm excited to get to write about the industry as it gets set to take off across the country. Buckle up.

It’s a busy time of the year for sports fans, with NFL free agency in full swing and March Madness dominating the airwaves. But it’s not all about college hoops right now, the start of the MLB season is also right around the corner. Baseball will be back in just over a week, and time really flew by since the Dodgers were crowned World Series champs. This year the AL West should be exciting, with plenty of fascinating storylines.

It’s going to be a very interesting season overall, as the league is coming off an unprecedented year where they played only 60 games due to COVID-19. Nobody knows how that shortened season will effect the 2021 campaign, but we’re about to find out. Before the season starts you’ll need to get your futures bets in, so let’s break it all down.

We’ve got a ton of great MLB content coming, so make sure to check out our ‘MLB news‘ tab in the coming days. We just did a piece with a couple of World Series best bets. When the games start, head on over to our ‘MLB picks‘ tab for free picks on the side and total of every game. But right now we’re talking AL West, and we’ll start with the odds, courtesy of DraftKings:

Astros +125

A’s +145

Angels +375

Mariners +2600

Rangers +6000

The Astros are coming off a down (abbreviated year) where they went only 29-31, but they had a strong run in the playoffs and oddsmakers are clearly expecting a bounce back. That’s despite the fact that they lost some key pieces from last year’s team, including George Springer.

Alex Bregman warming up for the Houston Astros

© Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports

The A’s have to feel pretty disrespected to not be the favorites here after going 36-24 and winning it by seven games last season. The Angels are looking to finally get Mike Trout some playoff success, while the Mariners are looking to build off last year’s surprisingly respectable 27-33 campaign where they were expected to fare much worse. The Rangers brought up the rear last year, and clearly that’s where oddsmakers see them yet again.

Now to the fun part. Let’s dive into a couple of best bets:

Best AL East division winner bet

At these odds, I’m most intrigued by the Angels at +375. They were a big disappointment last year, but I think they just got off to a really slow start due to the unprecedented circumstances. Once they got used to it they really settled down over the final month of the season, and they actually went 17-12 in their final 29 games. If it had been a full 162-game slate, I think they’d have made the playoffs.

There are plenty of reasons to believe they’ll be much better than they were in 2020. Shohei Ohtani will make his highly anticipated return to the mound after not pitching last year, and I’m cautiously optimistic that he’s going to be a stud. Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Ohtani is as nice an offensive trio as you can ask for, and the offseason acquisition of Raisel Iglesias will seriously bolster a shaky bullpen. The upside on this team is sky-high, so I also like them as a dark-horse World Series contender. I’m not sure why everyone thinks the Astros are going to be so great again, and Oakland overachieved last year.

Best AL East win total bet

I hate to kick them while they’re down, but I’m going under on the Rangers’ win total of 66.5. The gap between the league’s best and worst teams keeps getting wider, and there’s truly no floor for bad squads these days. In the last full season in 2019, eight teams were held to 70 or fewer wins. The Rangers are certainly one of the worst few teams in the league on paper, and their win percentage last year was just .367.

To get to the 67 wins they’d need to hit the over here, they’d need to get to .414. Kyle Gibson is going to be Texas’ Opening Day starter, which tells you all you need to know about the sorry state of their rotation. He had a 5.35 ERA last year. The Rangers are entering a full-blown rebuild, and their recent trade of Lance Lynn (one of their only good players in 2020), was a pretty concrete acknowledgement of that.

Sad baseball season is still a week away? You’re in luck, because Pickswise is the home of March Madness Predictions. Check out all of our March Madness Picks, including daily March Madness Parlays throughout the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Virginia Bonuses

See All
BetMGM
Get $1,000 Paid Back in Bonus Bets if you Don't Win + $25 Bonus Bet

Register for a new BetMGM account & deposit

Place your first bet and get refunded up to $1,000 in bonus bets if you don't win

Plus receive a $25 Bonus Bet after placing your qualifying wager

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER CO, OH, IL, IN, LA, MD, MS, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY 21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions. US promotional offers not available in DC, Nevada, New York or Ontario
FanDuel Sportsbook
No Sweat First Bet - Up To $1,000 Back in Bonus Bets if you Lose

Sign up for a new FanDuel Sportsbook account

Make a first-time deposit of $10+, and then place your first wager on any sports market

Get up to $1,000 back in bonus bets if you lose!

Must be 21+. First online real money wager only. $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire 14 days after receipt. See full terms at fanduel.com/sportsbook.
DraftKings
Bet $5+ Get $150 in Bonus Bets instantly

Sign up for a new account with DraftKings Sportsbook and make your first deposit

Make your first deposit and bet $5+ on any sports market

Get $150 in bonus bets instantly

Gambling Problem? Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MD/MI/NJ/NY/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Void in OH/ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid 1 per new customer. Min. $5 deposit. Min. $5 bet. $150 issued as bonus bets that expire 7 days (168 hours) after being awarded. See terms at sportsbook.draftkings.com.
bet365
Bet $1 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets!

Register for a new bet365 account

Place qualifying bets of $1 or more

Get $200 in bonus bets - no matter if your bet wins or loses

New Customer Offer. Deposit required. Bonus Bets added to Bonus Bet Credits balance. Bonus Bet risk excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits, and exclusions apply. Must be physically located in VA.
WynnBet
Bet $100 & Get $100 Bet Credit

Register for a WynnBET account today.

Deposit & Wager $100 on any sports market (odds -120 or greater).

Get a $100 Bet Credit.

Must be 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
BetRivers
Get up to $500 Back in Bonus Bets if your First Bet Doesn't Win

Sign up for a new BetRivers account using promo code SPORTS

Make your first deposit & and bet up to $500

If your first bet loses, get up to $500 back in bonus bets

Must be 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-BETS OFF
Caesars Sportsbook
Your First Cash Bet Is On Caesars Up To $1,250

Sign up for a new Caesars Sportsbook account and Place your 1st wager of $10 or more

If you lose, you get 100% of your stake back as a Bet Credit - up to $1,250.

AND win or lose, you’ll also get 1,000 Reward Credits® and 1,000 Tier Credits.

21+. New users and first wager only. Must register with eligible promo code. Bet amount of qualifying wager returned only if wager is settled as a loss. Maximum bet credit $1,250; must be used within 14 days of receipt. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Void where prohibited. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Unibet
Get up to $100 Back in Bonus Bets if your First Bet Doesn't Win

Register for a new Unibet account & make a deposit

Place your first bet up to $100 free!

Get $100 back in bonus bets if your wager loses

New players only. Terms & conditions apply. 21+. VA only.
DraftKings
Get a $1,000 Deposit Bonus

Create a new DraftKings Sportsbook account and make your first deposit (min $5)

DraftKings will match 20% of your deposit up to $1,000 total

To get a $100 bonus, deposit $500

21+. Terms & conditions apply.
BetMGM
Get $1,000 Paid Back in Bonus Bets if you Don't Win Your First Bet

Register for a new BetMGM account & deposit

Place your first bet up to $1,000!

Get refunded up to $1,000 in bonus bets if you don't win

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER CO, IL, IN, LA, MD, MS, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, MA 21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Visit BetMGM.com for Terms & Conditions. US promotional offers not available in DC, Nevada, New York or Ontario
DraftKings
Get a +1000 Odds Boost on Any Golfer to Win any Tournament

Create a New DraftKings Account

Make Your First Deposit Of $5+ Into Your Sportsbook Account

Following Sign Up, You’ll Be Issued With One (1) Single-Use +1000 Odds Surge Token For Any Golfer To Win Any Tournament

Gambling Problem? Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/KS/LA(select parishes)/MD/MI/NJ/NY/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Void in OH/ONT. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid 1 per new customer
Underdog Fantasy
First deposit is 100% matched up to $100 with Underdog Fantasy

Sign up for a new account with Underdog Fantasy

Make your first deposit

Every dollar (up to $100) will be matched! Deposit $25, get $50; deposit $100, get $200, etc

Must be 21+ to play. Terms & conditions apply
Owners Box
First Time Deposit Bonus Up To $500

Sign up for a new DFS account with OwnersBox

User's first deposit will be matched up to $500 in site-credit

Join one of their Daily NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL contests

You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to receive deposit bonuses, participate in Contests, or win prizes offered through OwnersBox Contests. In jurisdictions, territories, and locations where the minimum age for permissible use of Contests is greater than eighteen (18) years old, you must meet the age requirement in your local jurisdiction or territory.
TVG
Get Your First Single-Horse Win Wager Back Up to $200 if you don't win

Register for a new TVG account and make a deposit

Place your first single horse win-type bet up to $200

If your horse doesn't win you'll get a refund up to $300

21+. T&C's apply. Please gamble responsibly.
TwinSpires
Get a $200 Sign-Up Bonus for The Preakness with Twinspires Racebook

Open your TwinSpires.com account using offer code BET200

$200 bonus cash will be credited in increments of $100 for every $400 wagered

To earn the full $200 bonus players must wager $800 within 30 days

21+. Terms and conditions apply.