Kenny G urges bettors to fade the Los Angeles Angels due to pitcher Jack Kochanowicz's recent poor form and the struggles of the Angels' bullpen. Kochanowicz is coming off a disastrous outing against Houston, allowing 6 earned runs and 7 hits in just over four innings. He's struggled consistently, yielding multiple home runs in previous starts against weaker hitting clubs like Cleveland and Chicago. Kenny also notes the Angels' bullpen's poor 6.40 ERA, the second-worst in MLB. Additionally, the Angels offense has disappeared recently, scoring just 4 total runs over their past three games, with Mike Trout notably batting below .200. All these factors lead Kenny G to recommend the Rangers at -135 as a solid bet.

Chris Ruffolo sees real bounce-back potential for Jack Kochanowicz in this upcoming start against the Texas Rangers. Kochanowicz struggled heavily in his previous start against Houston, surrendering 6 earned runs and 7 hits over just 4.2 innings with 1 punchout and 3 walks. However, Ruffolo emphasized Kochanowicz's steadier performances prior to that difficult outing, allowing just two earned runs in each of his first two appearances this year against Cleveland and the White Sox. Furthermore, Kochanowicz managed two quality starts against the Rangers late last season, despite losing both decisions. Ruffolo highlighted the Rangers' recent below-average hitting against right-handed pitching, ranking bottom 10 in team OPS and isolated power. Given these factors, Ruffolo expects Kochanowicz to rebound positively in this matchup.

Data Skrive advised betting the under on Jack Kochanowicz's strikeout prop of 3.5 for April 17 against Texas. Kochanowicz has only averaged 3 strikeouts per game across his first three appearances, signaling a clear trend below the prop total. With a heavy line shaded towards the under (-170), betting the under aligns with Kochanowicz's current performance metrics and limited strikeout upside.

Guy Boston believes Jack Kochanowicz will surpass 2.5 strikeouts in his matchup versus Houston due to the Astros' early season strikeout struggles. Despite Houston finishing last year with the second-lowest team strikeout rate, they currently rank bottom-five in MLB, striking out over nine times per game thus far in 2025. Kochanowicz has exceeded this total comfortably in both his starts this season (4 strikeouts against the Guardians and White Sox). Though Kochanowicz doesn't historically generate high strikeout totals, the Astros' elevated strikeout propensity this season positions him favorably to hit at least three strikeouts according to Guy Boston's analysis.

Kenny G sees value backing the Los Angeles Angels at plus-money against Houston, praising Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz's solid start (3.27 ERA) despite minor control issues. In contrast, he highlights Astros starter Ronel Blanco's disastrous performances this season, coming off a poor start where he lasted just 1.2 innings versus the Twins and a rough opener against the Giants. Kenny also notes Houston's significantly underperforming offense (26th in scoring, last in slugging). Given the mismatch in current form, Kenny argues for betting the Angels at plus 122.

Greg Peterson advocates betting the Astros moneyline (-138), strongly believing Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz is due for considerable statistical regression. Kochanowicz holds a misleadingly solid 3.89 ERA, but Peterson points to his inflated 4.81 FIP and notably poor strikeout rate (3.9 K/9) as predictive red flags. Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco has also benefited from good fortune (3.05 ERA, 4.10 FIP), but Houston's talent edge makes them valuable at Peterson's true odds (-154).

Dan Palyo recommends strongly betting Jack Kochanowicz under 3.5 strikeouts (-150 DraftKings). Kochanowicz, historically one of baseball's weakest strikeout pitchers with a mere 9% K% last year, benefitted from anomalous stats in his season debut. Specifically, he achieved a highly unsustainable 52% O-Swing%, which Palyo believes will regress significantly vs. Guardians, a patient lineup that is unlikely to chase often and will force Kochanowicz deeper into counts. Palyo sees clear value on the under, anticipating an outing of very limited strikeouts.