The Seattle Mariners will continue their series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night. It's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Mariners-Astros prediction and pick.
These teams have had vastly different seasons. The Mariners began the year on a high note, but a recent streak of losses has Seattle at 25-30 and fourth in the AL West. The Astros also began the season well, but they haven't slowed down in the slightest. Houston is a whopping 35-20 on the year, one of the best records in the entire league. It's early in the season, and the Astros have already managed to secure an 8.5-lead in the division. This is a crucial series for maintaining that lead, so let's get into the pick.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Mariners-Astros MLB odds.
MLB Odds: Mariners-Astros Odds
Seattle Mariners: +1.5 (+100)
Houston Astros: -1.5 (-120)
Over: 8 (-115)
Under: 8 (-105)
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Why The Mariners Could Cover the Spread
At first, this doesn't look like a great matchup for Seattle starter Chris Flexen. The Astros are a solid offensive team, and Flexen's numbers on the year are less than stellar. However, the righty has a fantastic history against this Houston lineup. He's very familiar with the Astros, as they are division rivals. Flexen has already pitched against Houston three times this season, and every single outing has gone well. In total, Flexen has pitched 18 innings against the Astros this year, and he's only allowed five runs. Those are fantastic numbers, and there's no reason to think that things will change in this contest.
The Mariners have a ton of momentum as they come into this game. Seattle is 7-3 over their last ten contests, including three victories against this Astros team. The offense has come alive recently, scoring six or more runs in three of their last five contests. Now they enter this game as underdogs in a matchup they've thrived in this year. Overall, this doesn't look like a bad spot to pick the Mariners to cover.
Why The Astros Could Cover the Spread
The Astros will deploy one of the best pitchers in the entire MLB for this matchup. Justin Verlander has been one of the game's elite for years now, and 2022 has been no different. Verlander is 6-2 on the year with a 2.23 ERA and a .80 WHIP. Those numbers immediately make him Cy Young Award-worthy. He also has a good track record against the Mariners, as only three Seattle players have a career batting average of .250 or higher against Verlander.
The Astros will benefit from playing in Minute Maid Park. Houston is an excellent 14-7 at home, and they also experience big statistical improvements when on their home turf. The Astros pitching staff is far better when they pitch at home, earning a 2.46 ERA compared to a 3.36 road ERA. The Mariners are also much better as the home team. Seattle actually has a winning record at home, but their road record of 13-20 is one of the worst in the MLB. The Mariners should continue to struggle on the road in this game.
Final Mariners-Astros Prediction & Pick
The under should cash comfortably in this game. Flexen has an elite history pitching against the Astros, and Verlander can always be counted on to pitch well. Lock in the under in what should be an extremely low-scoring game.
Final Mariners-Astros Prediction & Pick: Under: 8 (-105)
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