The Seattle Mariners have their backs against the wall and cannot afford any more mistakes. They are just two games behind Oakland in the hunt for the last wild card slot. However, the Mariners have a tough task for their last series in the regular season as they open a three-game set against the majors-best Los Angeles Angels tonight. Read on as we preview this crucial showdown between two AL West teams.
Looking for more baseball action, head over to our MLB Free Picks for the best five baseball games to bet on today. We also preview a critical game for the National League playoff race in the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Cincinnati Reds.
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Los Angeles Angels vs. Seattle Mariners Prediction and Betting Preview
Where: Safeco Field, Seattle
When: Friday, September 26, 10:10 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Angels +124 at Seattle Mariners -134; total 6.5 – view all MLB lines
What’s at Stake?
[sc:MLB240banner ]The Angels won’t be slowing down any time soon. They’re still contending against the Baltimore Orioles for home field advantage throughout the postseason. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners are in a must-win situation. A loss will doom their playoff run, while a win takes them one step closer to the postseason considering how shaky the Oakland Athletics have been.
Betting on the Los Angeles Angels
A win tonight or a Baltimore loss will clinch home field advantage in the AL playoffs for the Los Angeles Angels. However, they haven’t been at the top of their game recently. They are just 3-4 since they clinched AL West on September 17.
Still, the Angels are in good position for a win tonight. One of the Angels’ more consistent starter, Jered Weaver (18-8, 3.52 ERA) takes the ball tonight. Weaver is coming off an illness, but is 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA in his last eight starts. His last outing saw him surrender three runs while striking out seven over seven innings against Texas on Saturday.
Against Seattle, Weaver is 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA in three starts this season. Seattle first baseman Justin Smoak is hitting .429 against Weaver this season, scoring three runs on three hits with a home run and two doubles.
Nevertheless, even if Weaver surrenders a couple of runs, the Angels can make up for them at the plate. Mike Trout is 6-for-13 with three RBIs in his last four games at Safeco field.
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Betting on the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners climbed out of a five-game skid with a 7-5 win against the Toronto Blue Jays last night. However, they’ll face quite a challenge in their final series in the regular season going up against the Los Angeles Angels, and certainly wish they’d done better in their set against a Jays team that had nothing to play for.
The Mariners are pinning their tenuous hopes on starter Hisashi Iwakuma (14-9, 3.54 ERA), who has posted an 11.25 ERA in a three-start losing streak. He allowed seven runs in three and a third innings of an 8-1 loss to the Angels on September 15. Before that start, Iwakuma was 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA in seven starts against the Angels.
Should Iwakuma find his form, then the Mariners can keep their faint postseason hopes alive, even while playing against the majors-best Angels.
At the plate, Seattle have a couple of weapons looking to explode against the Angels. Logan Morrison is batting .360 with five home runs in his last 16 games. Meanwhile, Robinson Cano owns a .395 career average during the regular season against the Angels’ Weaver.
Writer’s Prediction
Iwakuma finds his form while Seattle batters heat up at the plate. The Mariners (-134) live to play another day.
