For the first half of a Tuesday doubleheader, the Seattle Mariners will entertain the Detroit Tigers in an American League matchup.
After being swept in a three-game set at home in late August, the Tigers pulled out a victory in the opener of a four-game bill on Monday. The host Mariners never held an advantage in the game, which had important postseason implications.
Let’s look at this clash’s ins and outs before making our Mariners vs. Tigers picks for today.
Clash’s Ins and Outs
Designated hitter Miguel Cabrera brought in a run early on, in the top of the first inning. Seattle third baseman Eugenio Suarez responded promptly with a sacrifice fly in the next half-inning.
Detroit shortstop Javier Baez clubbed a two-run homer in the third, helping his side take the lead for good.
Right fielder Victor Reyes added an insurance run in the next inning, which ended up being important after the home team got on the board a few more times.
Bryan Garcia brought home the win — his second of the campaign — by going 6.2 innings and allowing three earned runs. He also struck out six in the victory.
Detroit (66-93) hasn’t done well on the road this year, going 30-47. Add that to the list of disappointments for the Tigers, which includes an underwhelming season performance by Baez.
AL Central Division
They’ve been out of the postseason race for a while, having not done all that well at this year. Even as the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins stumbled, Detroit was in no position to surprise anyone in the AL Central division.
Although they won’t begin their quest for a title in front of friendly fans, the Mariners (87-72) are in the playoffs for the first time in over two decades.
Meaningful Games in the Fall
To highlight just how long it’s been since they competed in meaningful games in the fall, Ichiro was merely a rookie the last time it happened.
This time around, they have another fresh face in center fielder Julio Rodriguez. The Mariners’ stats show the 21-year-old leads their order with a .284 batting average, and his 27 long balls are second only to Suarez’s 31.
Rodriguez also sports a .345 on-base percentage, while Suarez has 86 runs driven in. First baseman Ty France has a total of 149 base knocks this year.
Now, let’s look at the MLB odds to make our Mariners vs. Tigers picks.
Mariners vs. Tigers Odds Breakdown
The bookmakers lean toward the home squad. Seattle is -1.5 on the run line at +125, while the Tigers are -174 to cover the spread.
On the moneyline, the Mariners are -174 and Detroit a +146 underdog. The total has been set at 7.5 runs, with the over being -106 and the under -114 at the time of this writing.
While he hasn’t done what fans might have expected after coming over from the Chicago Cubs, Baez does lead the team in every major statistical batting category. He has a .239 batting average, 17 dingers, 66 RBIs, and a .280 on-base percentage.
Seattle Mariners vs. Detroit Tigers Betting Preview
Chris Flexen Taking the Mound
Taking the mound for the hosts will be 28-year-old righty Chris Flexen. He’s 8-9 to this point in the schedule and has a 3.64 ERA to go along with that record.
His last time out, he earned a winning decision despite only throwing for an inning. He gave up one unearned run on nine pitches as Seattle downed Texas, 10-9, in extra innings.
Eduardo Rodriguez as Starter
Eduardo Rodriguez will provide the opposition for the Tigers. He’s thrown in 16 contests this year and has a 5-5 mark to show for it. He has a 4.02 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.
He last went 6.2 frames against Kansas City, blanking the Royals on five hits. The Tigers will hope for a similar showing against a team bound for the playoffs.
Seattle Mariners vs. Detroit Tigers Picks and Predictions
When making your Mariners vs. Tigers picks, go with Detroit to at least cover the spread in the Tigers game today.
With the MLB schedule waning and the postseason nearing, you never know who Seattle might be resting. The Tigers will take advantage.
MLB Pick: Tigers+1.5 (-155)
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