Astros vs Mariners Betting Preview: Can Álvarez Break the Hearts of Mariners Fans Again?
Kirby Gets the Ball as Seattle Looks to Extend American League Division Series
Astros Look to Complete Sweep and Advance to ALCS
Astros vs Mariners Betting Preview: The Seattle Mariners could very well be up 2-0 in the American League Division Series against the top-seeded Houston Astros if the Seattle pitchers knew how to get Yordan Alvarez out.
After Alvarez won the series opener with a walk-off home run, his two-run home run in the sixth inning of Game 2 has Houston a win away from advancing to the AL Championship Series.
The Mariners will be calling upon 24-year-old George Kirby to keep the season alive while Houston counters with Lance McCullers Jr.
Astros vs Mariners Game Information
Matchup: Astros 106-56 (1st, AL West) Mariners 90-72 (2nd, AL West)
Date, time: Saturday, Oct. 15 4:07 p.m. ET
Television: TBS
McCullers Tries to Seal the Deal for Astros
This hasn’t been the easiest of seasons for Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. After winning a career-high 13 games during the 2021 season and adding another victory in the playoffs, McCullers had to wait until Aug. 13 to make his 2022 season debut. His return only aided in the Astros vs Mariners betting preview favoring Houston.
He promptly didn’t allow a run in two of his first three starts. When looking at the MLB stats, he finished the regular season with a 4-1 record and an ERA of 2.81 in eight starts. McCullers is set to take the mound as the Astros attempt to sweep Seattle.
He hasn’t pitched since allowing six hits and one run in six innings in a loss to Philadelphia on Oct. 3. McCullers is 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 16 career postseason starts.
He hasn’t pitched since allowing six hits and one run in six innings in a loss to Philadelphia on Oct. 3. McCullers is 2-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 16 career postseason starts.
One concerning trend is that the Astros have scored 20 runs in the last seven games started by McCullers. With the way Yordan Alvarez is swinging the bat, perhaps that will change on Saturday.
Bullpen Continues to Let the Mariners Down
When the Mariners erased a seven-run deficit to sweep the host Toronto Blue Jays in the wild-card series, the euphoria from the comeback overshadowed the issues in the Seattle bullpen.
Closer Paul Sewald was roughed up for three hits and four runs in less than an inning. In the first two games of the series with the Astros, the bullpen has allowed seven hits, including two home runs, and six runs in 4.1 innings. That has factored into the Astros vs Mariners betting preview.
George Kirby, who got the save in the series clincher against Toronto, will start in Game 3. That is not the issue as both Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo pitched well enough to win the AL division series games.
Penn Murfree, Matt Brash and Diego Castillo have yet to allow a run in the postseason. However, the same can’t be said for Andres Munoz, Sewald and Matthew Festa so who will manager Scott Servais turn to late in Game 3?
Who’s Hot
- Yordan Alvarez, Astros OF: Alvarez is 4 for 8 with three runs, a double, two home runs and seven RBIs in the first two games in the series.
- Matt Brash, Mariners P: Brash hasn’t allowed a run in his last six appearances. He has allowed one hit and struck out five in 5.1 innings of work over that stretch.
- Rafael Montero, Astros P: Montero has allowed one hit and no runs over six innings in his last six outings.
- Eugenio Suarez, Mariners 3B: Suarez has at least two hits in three of the four postseason games. He is hitting .375 with five runs, three extra-base hits and three RBIs.
Who’s Not
- Hector Neris, Astros P: Since the start of September, Neris has surrendered 11 hits and seven runs in 10.1 innings of work.
- Martin Maldonado, Astros C: Maldonado is 2 for 20 with 11 strikeouts in his last eight games. In the postseason, he has struck out in four of his five at-bats.
- Carlos Santana, Mariners 1B: Santana is 3 for 15 with six strikeouts in four postseason contests.
- Paul Sewald, Mariners P: Sewald has allowed four hits and six runs in 1.1 innings in two postseason games.
Astros vs Mariners Injury Update
The Mariners will be without catcher Tom Murphy (shoulder), infielder Sam Haggerty (groin) and outfielder Jesse Winker (neck) throughout the playoffs.
For the Astros, outfielder Michael Brantley (shoulder) and catcher Jason Castro (knee) are out for the season.
Mariners vs Astros Head to Head
Houston has won eight of the last nine games against the Mariners with the last four games being decided by a total of five runs. That hot streak by the Astros includes the last three games played in Seattle as the Astros outscored the Mariners 16-8 while sweeping a three-game series in July.
The Astros won 12 of the 19 meetings during the regular season. The teams split the first 12 games in 2022 before Houston began to take control of the series.
The Astros won 12 of the 19 meetings during the regular season. The teams split the first 12 games in 2022 before Houston began to take control of the series.
Ty France led the Mariners with four home runs and 14 RBIs against the Astros. Players Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve have combined for 10 home runs and 28 RBIs against the Mariners.
Astros vs Mariners Betting Preview
The MLB odds are even with both teams having a Moneyline of -105 with the Mariners trying to extend the series and the Astros looking to move on.
Something to consider when betting on this MLB Division Series, the Astros are 45-36 against the run line in road games while the Mariners are just 36-45 against the run line at home.
Kirby allowed four hits and two runs with seven strikeouts in four innings in his lone appearance against the Astros in 2022. He did not factor into the decision.
The total has gone under in five of Houston’s last seven games. The total has also finished under in five of the last six times that the Astros played in Seattle.
