Houston Tries To Bounce Back
The Houston Astros try to avoid a second straight loss when they take on the host Seattle Mariners in the second of a three-game series between division rivals. Seattle won the opener on Friday night, 6-1, to snap a two-game losing streak and sits in third in the AL West standings. Houston remains atop the division by 2½ games over the second-place Los Angeles Angels despite having its two-game win streak snapped. These teams are familiar with each other, so before you make any bet online, take a read through our in-depth preview of the second game of the series.
Let’s check the latest MLB picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB odds for Astros vs Mariners. We’ve plenty of MLB predictions.
Bats Go Silent for Astros
The Houston Astros’ offense has been up and down, as the team ranks in the middle of major league teams with 191 runs through 46 games. Friday night saw the Astros manage just one run on nine hits, as they were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base.
Outfielder Yordan Alvarez is tied for third with 12 home runs, but he hasn’t had one in nearly two weeks, hitting just two extra-base hits over the last eight games. Alvarez is batting .254 with four doubles, a triple, 25 RBIs, and 27 runs scored.
Outfielder Kyle Tucker leads Houston with 29 RBIs, though he was 0-for-3 on Friday and has just one hit over his last five games. Tucker is batting just .235 with seven doubles, eight home runs, and 17 runs scored.
Right-hander Jose Urquidy will make his ninth start of the season. Urquidy is 4-1 with a 4.24 ERA, striking out 30 in 40⅓ innings. The 26-year-old has won his last two starts, including a solid performance against the Texas Rangers on Sunday in which he went 6⅔ innings and allowed one run on six hits while striking out 10 and walking one.
Aggressive Hitting May Be Key for Mariners
After already facing Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros twice this season with little success, the Seattle Mariners approached their third meeting with the veteran ace on Friday with a different approach: Be aggressive. The approach definitely worked, as Seattle had four home runs in taking the series opener.
“I said it to the club before the game, ‘If it looks like you can hit it hard, swing at it. Take our chances,'” Seattle manager Scott Servais said after Friday’s win. “And that’s what we did tonight.”
Third baseman Ty France had one of those four home runs, going 3-for-4 to raise his batting average to .341, good for seventh in the majors. France has 10 doubles, seven home runs, 32 RBIs and 21 runs scored.
Rookie outfielder Julio Rodriguez got the Mariners started with a first-inning home run off Verlander, his sixth. The 21-year-old is batting .266 with six doubles, a triple, 22 RBIs, and 20 runs scored.
Right-hander Logan Gilbert will be on the mound for Seattle, looking to improve upon his 4-2 record and 2.60 ERA. Gilbert has struggled over his last four starts, allowing a total of 13 earned runs in 24 innings, going 0-2, and seeing his ERA jump from 0.64 to the current level.
Astros vs Mariners Head-to-Head
The home team has dominated this series in 2022, going 6-1. The Houston Astros have the only road victory in those seven games, topping the Seattle Mariners in the second matchup of the season in mid-April.
Houston has won the season series between the division rivals in each of the last three seasons, going 13-8 in Seattle over that span. The MLB lines for Saturday’s contest are favoring the visiting Astros to get another win on the road.
Astros vs Mariners Game Information
- Game: Houston Astros (29-17) at Seattle Mariners (19-27)
- Location: T-Mobile Park
- Day/Time: Saturday, 10:10 p.m. ET
- Live Stream: MLB TV
Astros vs Mariners Betting Lines
Houston Astros -1½ +140 -118 7½ -110o 3½ -130o 3½ Evu
J. Urquidy -R
Seattle Mariners +1½ -160 +108 7½ -110u 3½ -110o 3½ -120u
L. Gilbert -R
Astros vs Mariners Prediction
The Seattle Mariners have had their troubles getting consistent production and pitching from game to game, and Gilbert has really struggled this month. The Houston Astros should bounce back at the plate in this one, evening this series with a victory.
When doing your MLB betting, take Houston to earn the road win.
