Monday’s MLB schedule features a key AL West showdown between the Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros. The three-game series opens with the Astros favored at home with a moneyline of -130 compared to Seattle’s moneyline of +110. There is also an over/under of 8.5 runs.
The Astros have become perennial heavyweights in the AL West, although they’ve gotten off to a modest start in 2022. After dropping two of three against the Blue Jays over the weekend, Houston is just 11-11 on the season with a negative run differential. That puts them 3.5 games back in the AL West.
Meanwhile, the Mariners are just one game better at 12-10. Seattle won on Sunday to snap a four-game losing streak, making the Mariners 2-4 on their current road trip. But if it’s any consolation, all four of those losses have come by two runs or less.
Marco’s the Man
The Mariners will look to Marco Gonzales to help them win their second straight game. The southpaw has been a little uneven early in the 2022 season, going 1-4 with a 3.86 ERA over his first four starts. He’ll make the start on Monday despite being removed from his start last week after getting hit on the wrist by a line drive in the first inning.
Meanwhile, the typically potent Houston lineup is averaging just 3.7 runs per game over the first 22 games of the season. In their last 12 games, the Astros have scored three runs or less eight times. Outside of Yordan Alvarez, none of Houston’s heavy hitters have had a strong start to the season, although Kyle Tucker has heated up recently while the rest of the team continues to struggle.
What’s That Odor
Jake Odorizzi will take the mound for the Astros on Monday as he looks to get things turned around. The veteran is just 1-2 with an ERA of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.67 over his first four starts, striking out only nine batters in 15 innings. However, Odorizzi looked much better in his last start, earning a win over the Rangers after giving up just one run on one hit over six innings.
For the most part, the Mariners have been consistent offensively this year, although they’ve been held to two runs or less in three of their last five games. On the other hand, they’ve scored six runs or more three times during their seven-game road trip. While the depth isn’t there in the Seattle lineup, Ty France and J.P. Crawford have crushed it this year, while Jesse Winker is finally showing signs of coming alive.
Mariners/Astros Betting Prediction
This is a tricky game to call, with both starting pitchers having question marks despite both being veterans starter, giving their teams a reason to be optimistic. Given that both Gonzales and Odorizzi are capable of pitching well and both lineups have been sluggish lately, the under on 8.5 runs might be the best bet. Meanwhile, with the Mariners being one of the best teams in the majors ATS this season, picking the Mariners +1.5 on the run line is also a good option to consider.
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