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It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Mariners-Cardinals prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Mariners-Cardinals.
The Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals are both hovering near the .500 mark one week into September. They both know that's not nearly good enough to make the playoffs. They know that at least 87 to 89 wins are needed to make the postseason most years, and that with the wild card and division standings being what they are, this year will not offer a deviation from that normal scenario. The Mariners know that the Houston Astros, who have won two games in a row over the Arizona Diamondbacks, are on pace to win somewhere in the vicinity of 87 to 89 games. That's at least 12 games over .500 with the potential for 16. Seattle just can't continue to drift any longer. The Mariners need a 9-1 stretch of 10 games to make this a real race in the American League West.
It's no different for the Cardinals, who trail the New York Mets by six games in the chase for the third and final wild card spot. Being six games back with three weeks to play means the Cardinals have to get hot and stay hot. New York can play .500 ball the rest of the way and finish 88-74, 14 full games over the break-even mark. The Cardinals will need to win a large pile of games to get to 88-74. They and Seattle have no margin for error.
Mariners-Cardinals Projected Starters
Luis Castillo vs. Miles Mikolas
Luis Castillo (11-12) has a 3.60 ERA. He is the victim of one of the worst hitting teams of all time. Castillo has pitched to a very respectable ERA, the mark of a good professional pitcher — not a dominant ace, but certainly a dependable starter who will go six innings and not give up many runs in most outings. Castillo hasn't been at his very best this year, but even when a notch below an elite level, he has still been very good. He just hasn't gotten much run support. His most recent start against the Oakland A's was a perfect example: seven strong innings, two runs allowed … and a no-decision in a game his team ultimately lost because the M's scored just two runs. Castillo can't make his teammates hit. He can only pitch. He has done a good job of pitching. The rest is out of his control.
Last Start: Tuesday, September 3 versus the Oakland Athletics: 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 HR, 1 BB, 5 K
2024 Road Splits: 13 starts, 75 1/3 IP, 66 H, 36 R, 13 HR, 28 BB, 65 K
Miles Mikolas (8-10) has a 5.27 ERA. In a season in which the Cardinals' hitters have been the main problem and the primary reason the ballclub is likely to fall short of the playoffs, Mikolas hasn't helped all that much. He has been far too consistent and has slipped a few notches from previous seasons in which he pitched at a much higher level. Mikolas posted a 2.83 ERA in 2018 and notched a 3.29 ERA in 2022. He can be better. He has been better. He will need to be better for this team to fully realize its potential. One has to wonder if his place on this staff is guaranteed for 2025 given the way he has (not) performed in 2024. If he wants to stay, finishing strong would be a good message to send to the front office and the coaches in the dugout.
Last Start: Sunday, September 1 versus the New York Yankees: 4 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 HR, 0 BB, 5 K
2024 Home Splits: 13 starts, 72 1/3 IP, 79 H, 49 R, 13 HR, 12 BB, 49 K
Here are the Mariners-Cardinals MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Mariners-Cardinals Odds
Seattle Mariners: -1.5 (+130)
Moneyline: -132
St Louis Cardinals: +1.5 (-156)
Moneyline: +112
Over: 7.5 (-110)
Under: 7.5 (-110)
How to Watch Mariners vs Cardinals
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET/11:15 a.m. PT
TV: Root SportsNet Northwest (Mariners) / Bally Sports Midwest (Cardinals) / MLB Extra Innings
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Mariners Will Cover The Spread/Win
Castillo is a much better pitcher than Mikolas, both this year and in general. It's that simple. Don't overthink it.
Why The Cardinals Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Cardinals shut out the Mariners on Saturday and can handle Seattle's woeful bats, regardless of the specifics of the pitching matchup.
Final Mariners-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
These teams are not trustworthy. Stay away from this one entirely.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Mariners-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Mariners -1.5
