Rangers vs Mariners Game Preview: Texas Closing in on Division Title
Seattle Falls to 1.5 Games Back in Wild Card Chase
The Texas Rangers visit the Seattle Mariners for the final four games of the 2023 regular MLB season. The playoff fate of both MLB teams will be decided in the next four days. The Rangers are good shape, holding a 2.5-game lead over Houston for the division title. The Mariners are 1.5 games out for the third wild card spot, so are essentially in a must-win situation. The Rangers vs Mariners game preview has Jordan Montgomery and Logan Gilbert as the scheduled starters for Thursday’s opening game.
Seattle is -108, and the total on the game is 7.5. The Mariners are +170 on the run line at -1.5 runs.
Montgomery hasn’t pitched bad this season, although you would be hard-pressed to tell that from his record. He is 10-11 with a 3.25 ERA, although his teams are 11-20 when he starts this season. Since picking him up from St. Louis, Texas has gone 4-6 when Montgomery pitches. On the road, Montgomery’s teams are just 3-11 when he starts.
Gilbert is 13-7 with a 3.75 ERA. Seattle is 17-14 when he starts this season and 6-8 when he starts at home. Gilbert is 0-2 when facing Texas this season. But you can’t blame him here. Seattle has lost 2-0 and 2-1, with the 2-0 loss coming just five days ago in an MLB matchup between today’s starters.
Texas Rangers
Texas enters the season’s final series, winning seven of its last eight games. The Texas Rangers schedule isn’t particularly easy in September. Texas had Houston, Toronto, and Minnesota, and seven games with Seattle on the slate. But Texas has done what it needed to in order to have a strong chance of advancing to the postseason.
The Rangers’ strength is its hitting, with Texas being No. 2 in team batting average and No. 3 in runs scored. Texas is scoring 5.39 runs per game against right-handed starters.
The Texas pitching staff has been pretty average. But when you hit like the Rangers, that’s all you need. The Rangers are No. 17 in team ERA and have converted a dismal 30 of 62 save opportunities.
Seattle Mariners
Seattle isn’t a great hitting team, sitting at No. 20 in team batting average. But the Mariners are No. 12 in runs scored, so they’re making the most of their opportunities. Seattle has been solid on the mound, ranking No. 3 in team ERA, and the Mariners are 43 of 63 in save opportunities.
The Mariners are 21-18 when facing a left-handed starter. Seattle is scoring 4.67 runs per game, which isn’t much different than the 4.73 runs it scores against right-handers.
The Mariners are a decent home team. But they’re not as good as the MLB lines have them down as. With an average price of nearly -165 at home, Seattle has been a losing proposition at home for the season. The MLB scores and odds haven’t been kind to Seattle bettors. But the lines in this series should be low enough for Seattle to offer some value.
⚾ Thursday’s Game
The Rangers vs Mariners game preview is showing slight value on Seattle for a side play. The price of Mariners -108 is reasonable, and Gilbert has pitched well against the Rangers this year. He doesn’t have anything to show for it yet, so he’s due to get a win if he pitches as well as he did in his two earlier starts.
The Rangers vs Mariners game preview shows the value will be on the over in the totals play. Seattle is 22-14 in totals this season when the number is 7.5. But Seattle as a side is probably the stronger of the two plays.
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