Angels vs. Royals Friday MLB odds, props: Red-hot Shohei Ohtani +265 to homer again, now clear favorite to lead majors this season

The Kansas City Royals aren't drawing well at home because, frankly, they're absolutely terrible. However, expect big crowds at Kauffman Stadium Friday through Sunday because Shohei Ohtani and the Angels are in town. The red-hot Ohtani has gone yard 10 times in his past 16 games and is now tied for the MLB lead in home runs with 22. He's +265 at Caesars Sportsbook to go deep Friday and is now the +250 clear-cut favorite to lead the majors in homers this season.

It's certainly not a coincidence that the Angels, winners of nine of 11, are surging as Ohtani is. They impressively won three of four at AL West-leading Texas to start the week. In Thursday's 5-3 victory, Ohtani out-dueled fellow AL Cy Young Award candidate Nathan Eovaldi of Texas. Ohtani allowed two earned over six innings to get his first victory in his past five starts on the mound.

Eovaldi had a 10-game unbeaten streak snapped. That may not have been the case if Ohtani hadn't hit a two-run 443-foot bomb off reliever Brock Burke in the eighth for a 5-2 lead. He hit four homers in the series, including one that went 459 feet Monday and another that was 453 on Wednesday. A total of 11 of Ohtani's homers this season would've been be a dinger in all 30 parks. That's tied for the most in MLB.

Ohtani and the Mets' Pete Alonso are tied for the MLB home run lead with 22, but Alonso hasn't played for a week due to injury and might miss three more. Reigning MLB HR king Aaron Judge is at 19 homers, hasn't played since June 3 and might not return from his toe injury until after the All-Star break.

Thus, it makes sense that Ohtani has pulled away on the season HR prop (Matt Olson and Kyle Schwarber are both second at +600). He's also pulling away to win a second MVP, priced -300 with Judge second at +1200. It's not out of the question Ohtani wins the Cy Young, too, for the most absurd collection of accolades in a season ever. He's +1000 for the Cy Young.

The Angels could keep winning this weekend, as Kansas City has supplanted Oakland as the worst team in the majors and has lost nine straight games. Slugger Vinnie Pasquantino recently underwent season-ending surgery, and All-Star catcher Salvador Perez is questionable for Friday after leaving Wednesday's loss with a hand bruise.

Brady Singer (4-5, 6.58 ERA) takes the hill for the Royals. He has allowed nine home runs in his 13 starts, with four of those coming on April 14 vs. Atlanta. Ohtani has a single in three career at-bats against him. He has a career .366 average against Kansas City with seven homers in 90 plate appearances.

The Angels might be a bit short-handed tonight as infielders Anthony Rendon and Gio Urshela both left Thursday's win with injuries. Before the game, the Angels also placed shortstop Zach Neto on the 10-day injured list. Closer Carlos Estevez pitched three times in the series, including Thursday, so he's probably not available. He had been spectacular before walking the bases loaded in the ninth on Thursday before being pulled.

Lefty Patrick Sandoval (3-6, 4.52 ERA) is on the hill for Los Angeles. He has lost five straight starts to see his season ERA balloon from 3.41. The Royals are the only American League team Sandoval has yet to face in his career other than his own.  

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