Luis Castillo will get the start for the Mariners (84-71, 41-33 home) as they host the Astros (85-71, 46-29 away) at T-Mobile Park. The Astros will give the starting nod to Justin Verlander. Check out my prediction for game one of this AL West matchup between the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS SEATTLE MARINERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Seattle Mariners -123

This game will be played at T-Mobile Park at 9:40 ET on Monday, September 25th.

WHY BET THE SEATTLE MARINERS:

  • The Mariners are 7-3 straight-up in their ten most recent games as the favorite.
  • Seattle is taking on the Astros at the right time, as the Astros have dropped three straight games.
  • Over his last three starts, Luis Castillo has an ERA of just 1.86.

HOUSTON ASTROS STRUGGLING VS RUNLINE OF LATE

Houston enters today’s matchup with an overall record of 85-71, placing them 2nd in the AL West. The club has played in 48 series so far, and has a record of 26-18-4, including dropping each of their past three sets. The Astros are 39-42 at home and 46-29 and 39-42 at home.

Today marks Justin Verlander’s 26th outing of the season, with an 11-8 record to show for it. His ERA is 3.44 and he has limited opponents to a .284 OBP. Verlander has struck out 131 batters and his WHIP stands at 1.17. When pitching away from home, his ERA is 4.26 compared to 3.40 when he’s in front of the home crowd.

Justin Verlander put in a solid performance in his most recent start, going six innings and giving up three runs. Unfortunately, the Astros were unable to come away with the win, losing 8-7 to the Orioles.

So far this season, the Astros’ has gone deep 215 times, placing them 6th in the league. Over Houston’s previous five games, they are 13th in runs scored, with their season average of 5.1 runs per game putting them 5th in the league. The Astros’ overall team batting average stands at .258 along with an OBP of .332.

The Astros’ offense has been bolstered by Kyle Tucker this season. He is currently batting .281 with 109 runs batted in and 28 home runs.

WILL THE SEATTLE MARINERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

155 games into the season, the Mariners have a record of 84-71, putting them 3rd in the AL West. This mark includes an overall series 25-21-2. At home, they are 41-33 compared to 43-38 on the road.

Luis Castillo has been a force to be reckoned with in 2023. The right-hander has made 32 appearances, boasting an impressive 14-7 record. His ERA stands at 3.06, while opponents are hitting just .208 against him. On the road, Castillo is 6-4 with a 3.86 ERA, and 8-3 at home on an ERA of 2.63. Opposing teams have a slugging percentage of .378 against him this season.

Luis Castillo earned a quality start and the win in his most recent outing, as the Reds defeated the Athletics 7-2. The right-hander surrendered two runs and five hits over seven frames.

Having gone deep 7 times in their last five games, the Mariners are 5th in that span. At 4.7 runs per game, Seattle is 12th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .244 while hitting a total of 203 home runs (11th).

Over the Mariners’ last five games, Cal Raleigh has been a standout offensively, leading the team in hits with a .263 batting average. For the 2023 season, Raleigh is hitting .235 and has tallied 74 RBIs.