Bryce Miller will get the start for the Mariners (48-48, 27-24 home) as they host the Blue Jays (54-43, 27-23 away) at T-Mobile Park. The Blue Jays will give the starting nod to Yusei Kikuchi. Check out my prediction for game one of this American League matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS VS SEATTLE MARINERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Seattle Mariners -128

This game will be played at T-Mobile Park at 10:10 ET on Friday, July 21st.

WHY BET THE SEATTLE MARINERS:

  • In their previous five games, the Mariners have a record of 3-2.
  • The Mariners are 6-4 straight-up in their ten most recent games as the favorite.
  • Opponents are hitting just .202 against Bryce Miller in his last four starts.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN AL EAST

For the season, the Blue Jays are 54-43 and 43-54 against the runline. In the AL East, they are in 3rd place and have gone 7-20 against division opponents. On the road, Toronto have won three straight series. The Blue Jays’ season-long over/under record sits at 42-51.

Today marks Yusei Kikuchi’s 20th appearance of the season, and he has put together a 7-3 record. His ERA is 4.13, and the opposition’s OBP against him is .303. The lefty has struck out 100 batters, resulting in a WHIP of 1.28. On the road, his ERA stands at 4.98 while it is slightly lower at 4.12 when pitching at home.

In his most recent outing against the Diamondbacks, Yusei Kikuchi tossed 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits. Although he was not credited with the win, Kikuchi’s performance helped the Blue Jays to a 7-5 victory.

So far this season, the Blue Jays’ has gone deep 107 times, placing them 15th in the league. Over Toronto’s previous five games, they are 14th in runs scored, with their season average of 4.5 runs per game putting them 13th in the league. The Blue Jays’ overall team batting average stands at .261 along with an OBP of .329.

Over the Blue Jays’ past five contests, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been the team’s leader in home runs with one. He has accumulated 15 round-trippers on the season and is batting .272.

WILL THE SEATTLE MARINERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Throughout the season, the Mariners have taken advantage of playing at home, posting a series record of 8-7 at T-Mobile Park. Their overall record of 48-48 puts Seattle 4th in the AL West. Against the runline, their overall record is 45-51 and 20-31 at home. This year’s Mariners’ games have an over/under record of 48-47.

Bryce Miller is off to a strong start in 2023, with a 6-3 record and an ERA of 3.66. He has been especially effective at home, where he is 5-1 with an ERA of 3.37, while his road record stands at 1-2 with a 7.80 ERA. Opposing teams have managed only a .339 slugging percentage against him this season.

Bryce Miller earned a win in his most recent outing, as the Mariners shut out the Tigers 2-0. The right-hander allowed five hits but no runs over his six innings of work.

Over their last ten games, the Mariners are ranked 15th in the league in scoring at 3.9 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 4.5 per contest puts them 15th in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Seattle is 18th, with an OBP currently sitting at .311. The team’s collective batting average is .231 (22nd).

The Seattle Mariners’ offense has been bolstered this season by the presence of Julio Rodríguez. The outfielder has compiled an impressive .246 batting average, while driving in 50 runs and hitting 13 home runs. Rodríguez has been a key contributor to the Mariners’ success in