The Seattle Mariners face the Houston Astros for the first time in the postseason in what should be an explosive American League Division Series in the 2022 MLB Playoffs. Here we'll discuss our Mariners ALDS predictions as they take on the Astros.

This season, these division rivals played 19 times, with the Astros winning the series 12-7. Remember that Seattle is playing in the playoffs for the first time since 2001. They created history on Saturday, rallying from an 8-1 deficit in Game 2 in Toronto to win that series 2-0. Overall, the Mariners have won eight of their previous 10 games. They did, however, go 3-7 in their 10 games in Houston this season.

To begin this series, the Mariners will roll the dice with Logan Gilbert to the mound. The Astros, in turn, will open up with Justin Verlander. Logan Gilbert had his finest month of the season in September, with a season-low 2.00 ERA. He also held the Astros to a 2.52 ERA and a 2-1 record in four encounters this season.

Ahead of their playoff game against the Astros, it’s time to check out our Mariners ALDS predictions.

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3. Santana and Frazier will keep on hitting

Mariners designated hitter Carlos Santana's three-run home run in Game 2 against the Blue Jays was vital in the Mariners' dramatic comeback. The veteran has had success against Astros Game 1 starter Justin Verlander, hitting nine home runs, driving in 15 runs, and posting a .927 OPS. That's a good sign for the fifth-seeded Mariners, who are hoping to take advantage of any edge they can get.

In the previous series in Toronto, second baseman Adam Frazier also did well. In fact, he led the Mariners with four hits. This season, the 30-year-old second baseman had a .729 OPS versus the Astros.

Both Santana and Frazier should continue their hitting ways against Houston, though how much difference that will make is another question altogether.

2. Mariners' pitching rotation should hold up fine, except against Yordan Alvarez

Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo dominated Game 1 against Toronto, pitching 7 1/3 shutout innings on six hits (all singles). He also had no walks and five strikeouts. He will start Game 2 in Houston after Gilbert takes the mound in Game 1.

However, the reigning Cy Young Award winner, Robbie Ray, struggled against the Blue Jays on Saturday, and he was shaky down the stretch in September. Worse, he was completely destroyed in three appearances against the Astros this season. In those games, he allowed 13 runs in 10 2/3 innings while walking seven batters and allowing six home runs. Ray would be ready to pitch in Game 3 at home if manager Scott Servais decides to keep him in the rotation.

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If not, George Kirby will very certainly get the nod. On July 31, the rookie faced the Astros for four innings. He allowed two runs and struck out seven batters. Marco Gonzales, who had a 3.81 ERA in four starts against Houston this season, but he is on the taxi squad.

No matter who pitches, though, the Mariners will struggle against Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez. This season, the towering Cuban has plagued Mariners pitchers. In particular, he batted .327/.438/.654 with five home runs in 64 plate appearances. He also closed the season on a high note, with a 1.118 OPS, six home runs, and 18 extra-base hits since the beginning of September.

1. Mariners push Astros but ultimately fall short

On June 21, the Mariners were 29-39, their lowest point of the season. After that, Seattle won 61 of its final 94 games. It's the AL's second-best mark, though Mariners fans won't like who was ahead of them. It's the Astros, who went 65-31 during the same span.

Both clubs are playing their best baseball at just the right moment, which should lead to a high-quality postseason series.

One may argue, however, that the Mariners are the hotter team entering the ALDS. For several weeks, Seattle has been playing high-intensity games with a lot on the line. They've created history. They've hit walk-offs to put an end to droughts. They've won postseason games while on the road. Seattle has a new ace, a deep bullpen, and a youngster who has changed the franchise's trajectory.

On the other side, the Astros haven't played a significant game in almost a month. They also haven't played the Mariners since July. This is a different club, one that has been put through the rigors of September and October baseball.

Despite the fact that Houston was obviously the best club in the AL during the regular season, there is enough unpredictability in this series to make it interesting.

Having said that, the Astros' league-best pitching staff is complemented by a lineup of power hitters including Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Jeremy Pena. Each of those guys hit over 20 home runs this season. Take note as well that the Astros led the league in home runs while simultaneously having the fewest strikeouts.

At the end of the day, the Astros will simply out-hit the Mariners. Seattle is up to the challenges of pushing this to four, maybe even five games, but the Mariners will ultimately lose.