The Los Angeles Angels are going to be part of the postseason no matter what happens to them for the rest of the season. The Mariners, on the other hand, need every win they can get in order to book their ticket to October baseball. Will Seattle be able to duplicate their dominating win last night? Or will Los Angeles make the Mariners’ road to the postseason a murkier one?
For more baseball reading, you can read our list of five best baseball games to bet on today here.
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Seattle Mariners vs. Los Angeles Angels Betting Preview
Where: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Los Angeles
When: Wednesday, September 17, 10:00 PM ET
Line: Seattle Mariners (+110) at Los Angeles Dodgers (-120); total: 8.0– view all MLB lines
Betting on the Seattle Mariners
[sc:MLB240banner ]Seattle kept the Angels’ offense in check last night, while breaking its slump at the plate to prevent a three-game skid from happening with a 13-2 win. With the victory, the Mariners are now just a game behind of the Kansas City Royals for the second wild card berth in the American League.
If the Angels’ last few games after a loss are any indication, James Paxton (6-2, 1.83 ERA) will have some serious power to deal with later. The Angels have scored an average of 6.8 runs in their last five games following a loss, including their 8-1 win in the first game of this series following a disappointing 6-1 defeat at the hands of the Houston Astros on September 14.
Nevertheless, Paxton has shown he can stymie the Angels’ offense, earning a 2-0 record with a 2.25 ERA in two games thus far against the Angels this season. The Mariners are also 3-1 in his last three starts overall.
On offense, the Mariners have finally shown some life at the plate after a cold run. Their 13-run outburst last night could signify that their hot bats are back after averaging just 2.0 runs per game in their previous nine contests.
Robinson Cano and Kendrys Morales will look to spearhead Seattle’s offense later when they face the Angels’ C.J. Wilson. Cano is 11-for-34 (.324) in his career versus the lefty, while Morales is 10-for-23 (.435).
Betting on the Los Angeles Angels
After Seattle beat them at their own game, the Angels head into tonight’s matchup with the Mariners looking to recover from a dismal two-run showing last night. The Halos are now 8-2 in their last 10 games.
If in other games the Angels’ juggernaut offense can easily be taken for granted as enough for a win, that won’t likely be the case tonight with the struggling C.J. Wilson (12-9, 4.61) on the mound. Wilson has been unsteady over his recent outings, as evidenced by a high 6.64 ERA in 13 starts since June 19. But behind an offense that has given him a 5.5 run support per game – the best in the majors – Wilson was able to stitch a 4-1 record in his last seven starts despite a pedestrian 4.22 ERA. The Angels are 9-1 in Wilson’s last 10 home starts.
The usual suspects to produce at the plate later are Mike Trout, Howie Kendrick, and Albert Pujols. Trout is batting .301 over the last 30 days, going 34-for-113 at the plate with 28 runs, while Kendrick is 37-for-114 (.325) with 18 runs. Pujols, meanwhile, is 32-for-112 (.286) with a team-leading 24 RBIs over the same span. The three are primed for a bounce-back performance after combining for just one hit in eight at-bats last night.
