The Houston Astros host the Seattle Mariners in a battle of American League West rivals on Wednesday at 8:10 p.m. ET. Houston won the first two games of this series over Seattle and is a big favorite to win again.
Seattle has now lost three straight games overall, but this team is off to a much better start than anticipated. The Mariners sit in second place in the division with a record of 13-11 and they could be a surprise team in the AL.
Houston has won five of its last six games after going through a rough patch last week. The Astros have improved their record to 12-11 and trail the Oakland Athletics by just 2½ games for the top spot in the division.
On the Vegas sportsbooks, the Houston Astros are -200 moneyline favorites in the third of the four-game series over the Mariners.
Seattle Struggling on Offense
Despite a strong start overall, the Mariners have not been a very good offensive team. Seattle is hitting just .210 as a team and that is going to be a problem as the season moves along.
The Mariners have scored just five total runs during this three-game losing streak and they are facing a dominant starting pitcher on Wednesday night. If Seattle is going to pick up a win and surprise the Astros, it will likely have to hit a few home runs.
Third baseman Ty France leads the team with a .314 batting average and Kyle Seager has a team-high 20 RBIs. There are some holes in this lineup and that could be an issue as they try to navigate through a tough division.
Justin Dunn starts for Seattle on Wednesday night. He is 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA.
Greinke Going for Astros
It will be Zack Greinke on the mound for Houston on Wednesday night, and that is usually a great thing for the Astros. Greinke is 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA and always has the ability to hold teams down.
Houston has a team ERA of 3.95 but the pitching staff has been dominant as a whole in this series. If the Astros continue to get better pitching, this team could emerge as a division title contender.
Second baseman Jose Altuve is back in the lineup for the Astros and he had three hits in the win on Monday night. Houston is fifth in the majors in terms of total runs scored and is usually a much better offensive team at home.
It won’t take a ton of offense for the Astros to win on Wednesday night if Greinke is pitching well.
Houston Grabs Another Win
The Houston Astros have been the more dominant team in this series and they have a big edge in the pitching matchup on Wednesday. If Greinke is able to pitch up to his ability, it should be another long night for the Seattle Mariners.
Houston is not nearly as dominant as it has been in years past, but the Astros still have the ability to be a big threat in the American League. The Astros have looked sharp in the first two games of this series and it should be much of the same on Wednesday night.
Seattle has gotten off to a great start, but this team is not expected to be a playoff contender as the season moves along.
Bet the Houston Astros at moneyline as they cruise to another win over their division rivals on Wednesday night.
