Angels vs Rangers: Prospect Optioned Ahead of Series Finale, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction, and More

In this story:
The Angels optioned pitching prospect Victor Mederos to Triple-A Salt Lake and activated Hans Crouse in a swap of relief pitchers prior to Sunday's series finale against the Texas Rangers.
Caden Dana is making his second major league start and here's how the Angels will line up behind him:
Dana makes his second Major League start! 🤩
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) September 8, 2024
📺: @BallySportWest
📻: @AngelsRadioKLAA#RepTheHalo x @FBMSupply pic.twitter.com/WvUBLgwGjB
Here's what else you need to know ahead of the game:
How to Watch
Time: 11:35 p.m.
Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas
TV: Bally Sports West
Radio: 830-AM
Odds
Moneyline: Angels +150/Rangers -180
Over/Under: 8.5
Prediction
The Angels will send Caden Dana (1-0, 3.00 ERA) to the mound for his first career start against the Rangers and only his second overall. Texas counters with former Angels left-hander Andrew Heaney (4-13, 3.81 ERA), who has 141 strikeouts this season but a poor record overall. The Angels have shown resilience by winning four straight games as underdogs following a loss. However, the Rangers have been strong at home during day games. Texas has the advantage on paper, but Dana's career is basically an open book with many chapters yet to be written. He could surprise
More
• Dana has a chance to become the first Angels player to win his first two major league games since Jered Weaver in 2006. (Shohei Ohtani also won his first two games as a pitcher for the Angels
in 2018).
• With a win today, Dana would also become the youngest Major Leaguer to win his first two MLB games since Milt Wilcox for the 1970 Reds.
• Yesterday's start gave Tyler Anderson 167.1 innings pitched this season, the most innings by an Angels pitcher since the Rangers' starter today — Heaney — tossed 180 innings in 2018.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

J.P. Hoornstra is an On SI Contributor. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers in California, J.P. covered MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Los Angeles Angels (occasionally of Anaheim) from 2012-23 for the Southern California News Group. His first book, The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All-Time, published in 2015. In 2016, he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for breaking news coverage. He once recorded a keyboard solo on the same album as two of the original Doors.
Follow jphoornstra