The Seattle Mariners (83-69) and Oakland Athletics (82-70) put a lid on a four-game AL West series at Oakland Coliseum Thursday. First pitch is slated for at 3:37 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze the lines around the Mariners vs. Athletics odds with MLB picks and predictions.
LHP Yusei Kikuchi is the projected starting pitcher for the Mariners. He is 7-9 with a 4.32 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 9.4 K/9, and 3.4 BB/9 over 154 IP through 28 starts.
- Current Oakland batters own a .786 OPS against him.
- Owns a 5.82 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in the second half which includes an 8.47 ERA in road starts.
RHP Chris Bassitt is the projected starting pitcher for the Athletics. He is 12-4 with a 3.22 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 9.2 K/9, and 2.1 BB/9 across 151 IP over 25 starts.
- Returning to action after suffering multiple facial fractures Aug.17 on a come-backer. Owns a 2.86 career ERA when starting on six-plus days of rest.
- Has allowed a .593 OPS over 45 career games at Oakland Coliseum.
- Owns a 2.55 ERA and 0.90 WHIP at home this season.
Mariners at Athletics odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11:31 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Mariners +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Athletics -155 (bet $155 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Mariners +1.5 (-170) | Athletics -1.5 (+135)
- Over/Under: 8.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
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Prediction
Athletics 6, Mariners 4
Money line (ML)
The Mariners are 15-5 over their last 20 road games in a stretch that includes sweeping a two-game set at Oakland Aug. 23-24 and taking the first three games of this series. Seattle has outscored the A’s 14-5 over the first three games of this set.
The A’s had won five consecutive games heading into this series.
Seattle holds an 11-4 lead in the season series, but there is plenty of analytic skepticism toward the Mariners’ numbers and winning percentage. The A’s are the lean in the finale – as they have been in three wagering losses earlier in the week – but there isn’t much value with this tag. PASS.
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Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Seattle has gone 31-18 in 1-run games and Oakland is just 21-25 in those spots. These figures, paired with run differential, paint a picture of a Mariners club overextended with its win-loss record.
The A’s have notched solid offensive numbers over most of the second half and have a .751 OPS over their last 42 games. There is some fade-Bassitt lean also, but peg the ATHLETICS -1.5 (+135) to be a decent play.
Over/Under (O/U)
The best play in Thursday’s matinee is the OVER 8.5 (-107).
The Oakland bullpen has some indicators that point to an artificially suppressed ERA, and the Seattle ‘pen has scuffled of late. The weather forecast for this one doesn’t scream Over, but Oakland’s home yard has some sneaky day-night splits. The average total runs scored in night games is 7.72; the day game average is 8.76.
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