Young Starting Pitchers Impact Cubs-Mariners Odds

Can The Cubs Return Home from Seattle With Another Series Win?

A pitching matchup between promising youngsters Jordan Wicks and Bryce Miller will get things going as the Chicago Cubs visit Seattle for just the second time in the last 11 MLB seasons. The Cubs vs Mariners betting odds have host Seattle favored in Friday’s series opener at -115.

The Cubs took two out of three games at home against Seattle in 2023. Seattle won the most recent game to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Cubs. The last time the Cubs won in Seattle was in 2013.

The MLB betting lines have favored Seattle in the weekend series while the Cubs are +105.

A peek at the American League baseball standings shows that Seattle went into Thursday as one of six teams with a losing record.

When looking at the baseball betting odds, Seattle is eighth at +2200 in the odds of winning the World Series with the Cubs tied for 11th at +3500.

Keep reading for more on the weekend series between the Chicago Cubs and the Seattle Mariners.

Cubs vs Mariners Probable Starting Pitchers

• Friday: Jordan Wicks (Cubs); Bryce Miller (Mariners)
• Saturday: Shota Imanaga (Cubs); Emerson Hancock (Mariners)
• Sunday: Javier Assad (Cubs); Luis Castillo (Mariners)

Youngsters Ready to Pitch In

The Cubs had five pitchers start at least 20 baseball games a season ago. But they have combined for just three starts this season as Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon are injured while Drew Smyly has worked exclusively out of the bullpen. Marcus Stroman is now with the New York Yankees.

Two of the Cubs’ new starting pitchers will take the mound in this series. Thirty-year-old former Nippon Professional Baseball league star Shota Imanaga and 24-year-old rookie Jordan Wicks, who won four times in seven starts as a late-season call-up in 2023, get ready. They join 26-year-old Javier Assad as the probable starters in this series.

None of these pitchers have faced Seattle before and this could factor into the Cubs vs Mariners betting odds.

Five of the Cubs’ last six games against American League teams went over the total.

Looking to Break Out

Many of Seattle’s top hitters are off to slow starts and that could impact the MLB picks and parlay options.

Former American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez is batting just .196 with one extra-base hit. Jorge Polanco, J.P. Crawford, and Cal Raleigh are all hitting under .200.

Key offseason acquisition Mitch Garver takes a .167 batting average and a .250 slugging percentage into the series with the Cubs.

The good news is that 26 of the 89 hits have gone for extra bases. That is something to consider when it comes to the Cubs vs Mariners betting odds. That power was on display the last time out as a two-run home run by Raleigh and an RBI double by France in the 10th inning helped the Mariners snap a three-game losing streak.

Seattle is 4-10 in its last 14 games played in April.

Who’s Hot

• Dominic Canzone, Seattle Mariners OF: Canzone is 5-for-11 with two home runs, three walks, three runs and three RBIs in his last four games.
• Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs P: Imanaga has allowed four hits and no runs with 12 strikeouts in 10 innings in his first two starts of the season.
• Gabe Speier, Seattle Mariners P: Speier has allowed three hits and no runs with six strikeouts in four innings this season.
• Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs OF: Suzuki is hitting .342 with four extra-base hits and 12 RBIs in his last 10 games.

Who’s Not

• Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs OF: Bellinger is 0-for-8 with two strikeouts in his last two games.
• Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners P: Castillo has allowed at least four runs in each of his first four starts.
• Jose Cuas, Chicago Cubs P: Cuas has allowed nine hits and eight runs over 4.2 innings in his last four appearances.
• Jorge Polanco, Seattle Mariners IF: Polanco is 1-for-10 with five strikeouts in his last three games.

Cubs vs Mariners Injury Update

Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is questionable while pitchers Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele are out for the Cubs.

For the Mariners, pitchers Matt Brash, Gregory Santos, Cody Bolton, and Colin Snider are on the MLB injured list.

Cubs vs Mariners Betting Preview

Something will have to give as the Mariners are just 3-4 at home and the Cubs are 2-4 on the road. The Cubs rank 27th in the majors with a 5.75 team ERA on the road while the Mariners are hitting just .196 at home.

The Cubs have covered in four of their six road games with four of those games going over the total.

With only a slight chance of rain for the series opener, the retractable roof could be left open for the game.
Seattle is just 2-4 as the favorite with Chicago 4-5 as an underdog.

The total has gone over in six of the last eight games for the Cubs while each of their previous five games in Seattle also went over.

Four of the last five games that the Mariners played against NL Central teams went over. The total is set at 8 runs for Friday’s series opener.

The Cubs have lost eight of the last nine matchups with American League teams. Will that trend continue in this series?

For MLB betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.

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