So far this season, the most evenly-matched division has been the AL West, as the first- and last-placed teams in the division are separated by just 11 games. That would’ve been even closer had the Athletics not gone on a disastrous 1-20 run to fall to last place.
The Seattle Mariners currently sit second in the division, one and a half games behind the Houston Astros, while the Los Angeles Angels are four games behind them. Los Angeles will host Seattle for a critical three-game series that begins tonight with a 9:38 p.m. ET clash. Kyle Hendricks will take the mound for the Angels, while Bryce Miller will start for the Mariners.
Let’s break down this matchup with some odds and lines at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Mariners at Angels prediction, preview
After sweeping the Dodgers and then the Athletics, the Angels have hit a bit of a rough patch, having lost eight of their last 11 games. However, at least their offense is starting to turn it around, as they’ve scored seven, four, and nine runs in their last three games. Seattle, too, has lost eight of its last 11 games, and its losses are even more embarrassing than Los Angeles’, since it took two defeats to the Washington Nationals and three to the Baltimore Orioles, scoring a combined six runs against Baltimore despite the Orioles having the league’s third-worst pitching staff. The Mariners posted the league’s seventh-worst OPS in May and have been third-worst so far in June.
Seattle might stand a chance of getting its offense back on track against Hendricks, who has steadily declined since 2020, the final season in which he received Cy Young Award votes. He was one of the worst pitchers in the league in 2024, finishing with -1.5 WAR and a 5.92 ERA, and though his ERA has improved to 5.34 this season, his 5.30 FIP figure is the worst mark of his career, as is the 1.7 home runs per nine innings that he’s conceding. He still ranks in the 94th percentile in average exit velocity, but that’s because his pitches lack zip. He has generated whiffs at just a second-percentile rate, which should allow a team that has hit just .211 so far in June to improve that mark. Cal Raleigh, whose 17th-percentile whiff rate is just about his only weakness at the plate, should be salivating.
Still, Hendricks could well be the better starting pitcher in the game. Miller has ranked as a below-average pitcher in every Statcast category but fastball velocity and barrel rate, and he’s posted a 5.36 ERA, nearly double last season’s mark. It’s a matter of placement; while his velocity has remained relatively constant and his spin rates have actually increased this season compared to last, he’s thrown far fewer of his sweepers and cutters in the zone than he did last season and seen a drop in chase rate in both pitches. As a result, his walk rate has nearly doubled from 6.4% last season to 11.4% so far in 2025, which might offer a rare opportunity to an Angels team that walked at the league’s second-lowest rate.
Mariners at Angels pick, best bet
Best Bet: Los Angeles Angels Moneyline (+114)
In a battle between two mediocre teams who aren’t in great form, I’ll take the team whose offense has been at least average in the last five weeks, and though they have been better on the road, their road opponents have simply been easier than their home opponents. Mike Trout has climbed back over the Mendoza Line, hitting .476/.542/.667 since returning from a knee injury.
Strong Lean: Cal Raleigh 3+ Hits + Runs + RBI’s (+115)
A possible Angels win doesn’t have to mean a poor performance from Raleigh, who’s been on fire over his last 15 games with a .345/.424/.862 slash line across that span, with nine homers and 17 RBI’s. Across that span, he’s recorded three or more hits/runs/RBI’s eight times, including in four of his last five games. Hendricks is bad enough that he can keep the good times rolling.
