The MLB betting action goes on with a full 15-game Saturday card, so we are taking a closer look at the American League showdown from T-Mobile Park in Seattle to get you the best Royals vs. Mariners betting pick and odds. 

Kansas City and Seattle continue a three-game series with the middle contest, and the Mariners open as -135 home favorites. The Royals are +125 moneyline underdogs, while the totals are listed at 7.5 runs on BetOnline Sportsbook.

The Crowns hope for better days at the plate                         

The Kansas City Royals entered the Mariners series with a 5-6 record. They were coming off a victory in a three-game home series against the Minnesota Twins. After winning the first two contests 4-3 and 2-0, the Royals suffered a 1-0 defeat in the closer last Thursday.

The Crowns have scored only 31 runs in their first 11 games of the season. Their offense has been pretty much terrible, posting a .206/.259/.321 slash line to go with eight home runs and just 13 extra-base hits. On the pitching side of things, Kansas City has recorded a 4.09 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and .255 batting average against.

Kris Bubic will toe the slab Saturday, looking to bounce back from a couple of rough starts. The 24-year-old left-hander took a loss in his season debut, yielding five earned runs while getting a couple of outs. He pitched 4.1 frames of a one-run ball in a no-decision against the Tigers last Saturday but issued a whopping six walks. Bubic is 1-0 with a pedestrian 5.06 ERA in a couple of career starts against Seattle.

The Mariners snapped their win streak in a shootout loss to Texas 

After beating the Houston Astros in a three-game home series, the Seattle Mariners blew a chance to sweep the Texas Rangers in a three-game set at T-Mobile Park. The Mariners also failed to extend their winning streak to four games, suffering an 8-6 defeat to the Rangers this past Thursday. They fell to 7-6 on the season, while Drew Steckenrider recorded his first loss in 2022.

Steckenrider yielded a couple of runs in the top of the ninth, raising the Mariners’ ERA to 2.95. Seattle’s pitching staff has done a great job so far this term, and the Mariners’ bullpen owns a shiny 2.55 ERA and 2.77 FIP.

Rookie Matt Brash will get the starting call Saturday, his third in the season. The 23-year-old righty is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He’s registered an 11/7 K/BB ratio across 10.2 frames of work.

Trends:

Kansas City:

  • 3-6 in the last nine games overall 
  • 1-4 in the last five games against the AL West

Seattle:

  • 5-2 in the last seven games overall 
  • 13-6 in the last 19 games against the Royals 

Kansas City Royals vs. Seattle Mariners Pick

The Mariners slugged a pair of homers off Taylor Hearn last Thursday. They should be ready for another left-hander when Kris Bubic comes to town, and the current M’s boast a .306/.402/.517 triple-slash in 40 plate appearances against the Royals’ lefty.

On paper, the Mariners are a better offensive team than the slumping Royals. Seattle ranks 12th in the majors in OPS (.709). However, Matt Brash is a wild-card, and his control issues could cost the Mariners a lot. At least, Seattle owns plenty of dangerous arms in its ‘pen.

Pick: Take Seattle Mariners at -135                 

The Total:

The Royals’ last six games have produced seven or fewer runs in the total. I’ve mentioned how good the Mariners’ bullpen has been so far, and the Royals’ relievers have done a good job, too. They own a 3.88 ERA and a sparkly 2.54 FIP.

However, I don’t trust the starting pitchers in this matchup. Both Bubic and Brash struggle with control and could easily issue a ton of free passes. It’s a tricky wager, but I have to take the over.

Pick: Go over 7.5 runs at -105