The Seattle Mariners put their eleven-game winning streak on the line as they continue their road trip at Globe Life Field to take on the Texas Rangers. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Mariners-Rangers prediction and pick will be made.
With the longest active winning streak in all of baseball, the Mariners have transformed themselves from a .500 ball club to a playoff-worthy squad in less than two weeks. Now at 48-42 and in second place in the AL West, Seattle now sits in the second Wild Card spot out in the American League. Looking to give his team a twelfth consecutive win will be lefty Robby Ray who is 7-6 with a 3.51 ERA on the season.
The Rangers' heads are barely staying above water, and at 41-46, Texas will need to continue to tread water if they want to avoid drowning altogether. However, the season is far from lost. The Rangers will send out righty Matt Bush in an attempt to put themselves back in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. Bush is 2-1 with a 3.64 ERA in his three total starts on the year.
Here are the Mariners-Rangers MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Mariners-Rangers Odds
Seattle Mariners: -1.5 (+105)
Texas Rangers: +1.5 (-126)
Over: 7.5 (-120)
Under: 7.5 (-102)
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Why The Mariners Could Cover the Spread
Not only have they won eleven straight, but they have also been victorious in 14 of their previous 15 matchups. Seattle has even showcased that they can win away from home as their road record now sits above .500 at 24-22 overall. Simply put, the Mariners are a raging wildfire with no possible containment in sight.
On Thursday, it even appeared that Seattle's lengthy winning skid was in jeopardy when they trailed by four runs heading into the fourth inning of play. With their backs up against the wall, the Mariners overcame a 5-3 deficit in the eighth frame by scoring three times to ultimately get the victory 6-5 in Texas. The relentlessness that Seattle has shown has been infectious to the entire clubhouse, as they have become almost allergic to losing games.
In order to cover the spread and win yet again, Seattle will have to continue a deadly, balanced attack. With the southpaw in Robby Ray seemingly returning to his Cy Young form, the Mariners will have a great opportunity to silence the Rangers bats. In his past seven starts, Ray is 3-0 with a 1.41 earned-run average. As a whole, Seattle has the third-most quality starts in the league and has compiled an insanely efficient 3.57 ERA, which is also a top-five mark in the majors.
Not to mention, but this Seattle offense is so stranger to stringing together key hits and reaching base. Through 90 games, the Mariners have the 11th best on-base percentage with a .318 mark.
Why The Rangers Could Cover the Spread
Texas has seen their fair share of stellar play themselves, but inconsistency has reared its ugly head far too often for the Rangers to have a winning record. The bad news? The Rangers' starting rotation is certainly being tested with a slew of names being placed upon the injured list. The good news? There are pitching options for the Rangers to choose from. Even more welcoming news, Texas only sits 4.5 games back in the AL Wild Card. With more than 70 games left to be played in the season, the Rangers have a great chance to make a dramatic, postseason run in the months to come.
Unfortunately, the Rangers had Seattle right where they wanted them on Thursday before their bullpen imploded in the worst possible way. After surrendering five runs in the seventh and eighth innings, Texas will view that game as one that surely got away.
However, the sun rises on a new day and the chance to end the Mariners' streak is at play once again. With righty Matt Bush scheduled to take the mound, Texas will need to rely on a conjoined effort from the bullpen to combat with Seattle's streaky offensive attack. Bush hasn't pitched more than one inning in any of his 33 outings this season.
With the chance that the bullpen might endure some fatigue in the later stages of this one, the Rangers will have to get after Ray early and often. Texas has only scored 399 runs in 2022, but they do possess a dangerous .412 slugging percentage that suggests they can tattoo the baseball a long way. If they can accomplish this feat, then the possibility of the Rangers covering the spread becomes much more likely.
Final Mariners-Rangers Prediction & Pick
Since the Mariners were involved in a nasty brawl with the Angels on June 26th, they have been scorching hot. The intense fight might've been exactly what the doctor ordered to turn Seattle's season around. With twelve straight on the line tonight, can the Rangers actually give the Mariners a run for their money? While it's possible, you would be a fool to bet against Seattle during their unprecedented winning ways.
Final Mariners-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Mariners -1.5 (+105)
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