A’s vs. Mariners series: Predictions, odds, picks for Game 2 with MLB playoff implications

As we head into the last week of the MLB regular season, there’s something strange happening near the top of the playoff standings.

The Seattle Mariners are around. They sit just 1.5 games back of the second wild-card spot and are playing some really good baseball right now, winning 8 of their last 10 games. They take on the Oakland Athletics tonight in Seattle, which bodes very well for them as they’ve won 10 straight against Oakland.

They’ll need to pay attention to what happens in the Boston Red Sox games and the Toronto Blue Jays games moving forward since those are the only two teams ahead of them in the Wild Card standings. The Jays have a 0.5 game lead over Seattle and the Sox currently hold the second wild-card spot that the M’s are trying to grabbed.

AL West standings

Astros 91-65 —
Mariners 87-70 — 4.5 GB
Athletics 85-72 — 6.5 GB

Athletics vs. Mariners odds

Run line: A’s (-1.5)
Over/under: 8.0
Moneyline: Mariners (+105), A’s (-125)

For the most part, Seattle’s 10 straight wins over Oakland have been by relatively close margins, except last night’s 13-4 win for the M’s. Still, you have to imagine the A’s will keep it close tonight, with Chris Basset on the mound for Oakland. Take the A’s to cover, the over and don’t bet against a hot streak like this, so slam the M’s moneyline.

Starting pitchers: A’s RHP Chris Bassitt vs. Mariners LHP Tyler Anderson

Bassitt has pitched pretty well this season, with a 12-4 record and an ERA hovering just barely above 3.00. In his last two appearances against the Mariners, he’s limited Seattle to just six hits in eight innings and four earned runs in that span, none of which came in his most recent outing against them.

For Anderson, he’s had a solid year and boasts an ERA hovering just below 5.00. Anderson has sort of dominated the A’s recently. In his last two outings against Oakland, he’s gone 12.2 innings allowing just eight hits and one earned run with wins in both starts, one of which was just last week.

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