The Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners will kick off a three-game series on Monday night. It's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Red Sox-Mariners prediction and pick.

This series could make or break either team's season. The Red Sox are currently clinging to a one-game lead in the AL Wild Card race, with the Mariners trailing them by three games. Boston has already lost the AL East, and a couple of losses here could see them struggle to make the playoffs at all.

Seattle is still technically in contention for the AL West. However, they trail the Houston Astros by 6.5 games. The Astros have been so good that that lead looks insurmountable. The Mariners could play their way into the Wild Card with a sweep here, so this series may be their best chance to fight their way into the postseason.

Here's how the bookmakers have set the lines for Monday's game.

MLB Odds: Red Sox-Mariners Odds

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Boston Red Sox ML (-118)

Seattle Mariners ML (+108)

Over 8 runs (+101)

Under 8 runs (-121)

Why The Red Sox Could Cover The Spread

Boston has struggled to win games recently, but that has nothing to do with the offense. This lineup remains one of the best in MLB, ranking inside the top 10 in the league in slugging percentage, batting average, OBP, and OPS. Pitching to the Red Sox is an unappealing prospect for just about anyone, including Mariners starter Logan Gilbert.

Gilbert has made 20 starts for the Mariners this season, and just about every single one has ended poorly. That's reflected in Gilbert's 5.10 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. Those aren't great numbers, and they get even worse in Gilbert's last seven starts. Over that span, the righty has posted a 7.09 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. The Red Sox should be licking their lips heading into this matchup.

While Boston isn't exactly known for pitching, the clubs certainly has a leg up on the Mariners in that category.  Eduardo Rodriguez is set to take the hill Monday night. Rodriguez has already faced Seattle once this year, pitching seven innings and allowing only three runs. Out of all of the projected starters for the Mariners, only two have a career batting average above .250 against Rodriguez. This is a perfect matchup for the lefty.

Why The Mariners Could Cover The Spread

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Seattle's offense gives them the best chance of winning this game. Luckily for them, they have some statistics that show they should have a decent day at the plate. Rodriguez owns a 5.15 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP on the season, two uninspiring numbers. He has also been prone to giving up home runs throughout the year. The Mariners have five hitters with an above-average barrel percentage, which usually translates to extra-base hits and homers. Seattle should be able to score some hard-hit balls in this game, and hard-hit balls often turn into runs.

Logan Gilbert has pretty poor stats across the board, but there is some reason to believe that he can put together a decent start in this game. The righty owns a 26% strikeout percentage, which is a decent number. The Red Sox have plenty of batters who strike out at a higher-than-normal rate. That combination could give Gilbert the edge in this game and allow him to keep Boston hitters off the base paths.

Final Red Sox-Mariners Prediction & Pick

This is a pretty straightforward pick. Boston has the pitching advantage and the lineup advantage. There's very little chance that Gilbert is able to pitch well for more than four innings, and the same can't be said for Rodriguez. Lock in the Red Sox as slight favorites to open the series.

FINAL PICK: Boston Red Sox ML (-118)