The Seattle Mariners (81-65) and Oakland Athletics (53-94) swing into a 3-game set Tuesday at Oakland Coliseum starting at 9:40 p.m. ET.
Season series: Seattle leads 8-5. Over the last 2 seasons the Mariners are a combined 23-9 against Oakland.
The Mariners have lost 3 of their last 4 and are just 4-6 over their last 10. Seattle won at the Los Angeles Angels 9-1 Monday to avoid a 4-game sweep.
The Athletics were idle Monday. They are back in Oakland after a 2-4 road trip. But home has not exactly been kind to these A’s: The club is 6-15 with a .587 OPS over its last 21 games at the Oakland Coliseum.
Mariners at Athletics projected starters
RHP Luis Castillo vs. LHP J.P. Sears
Castillo (7-5 2.68 ERA) is tabbed for his 23rd start of the season. He has a 1.06 WHIP 2.6 BB/9 and 10.0 K/9 through 134 1/3 IP.
- Struggled in only other career appearance at Oakland Coliseum allowing 4 runs in 5 innings on 8 hits and 1 walk in 5-3 loss Aug. 21
- Has clocked a 2.11 ERA over last 7 starts
- Season ERA and WHIP figures are would-be career bests
Sears (5-2 3.90 ERA) has made 9 starts among 14 appearances. He has a 1.30 WHIP 2.6 BB/9 and 5.9 K/9 through 55 1/3 IP.
- Owns a 3.89 ERA as a starter
- Went 5 strong innings against Seattle (and Castillo) Aug. 21 notching the win: Allowed 1 run on 6 hits and a walk with 3 K’s
- Struggled mightily over last 2 starts: 0-1 16.50 ERA (6 IP 11 ER) 5 HR allowed
Mariners at Athletics odds
- Money line: Mariners -220 (bet $220 to win $100) | Athletics +175 (bet $100 to win $175)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Mariners -1.5 (-117) | Athletics +1.5 (-103)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -135 | U: +110)
Mariners at Athletics picks and predictions
Prediction
Athletics 5 Mariners 4
Money line
The Mariners have lost 4 straight series openers. It’s tough to go all-in on Sears right about now but consider an Oakland play if the tag hits +185 or better. Otherwise STEER CLEAR.
Run line/Against the spread
PASS: Would rather chance the bigger payday on the Oakland ML.
Over/Under
Castillo has the tendency of struggling a bit in the back half of 2 straight starts on the road and these A’s had him clocked the first time they faced him.
Both Castillo and Sears have their numbers tamped down a bit by some generous clutch pitching results.
Some 2-sided regression and a batter’s breeze in the forecast is enough to tilt this one off its 6.5-run axis TAKE OVER 6.5 (-135).
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