The Mariners took the AL West lead from the Astros and now enter the second game of a four-game series with the Angels.
Seattle won the first game 7-6 in 12 innings on Thursday. Tonight’s game begins at 10:10 p.m. ET.
Los Angeles is a +148 favorite, while Seattle is -181 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under 7.5 runs.
Here’s my prediction and pick for Friday’s Angels vs. Mariners matchup.
Angels vs. Mariners prediction
After making some win-now moves at the trade deadline, the Mariners won 10 of 11 games. It seemed the team was destined for the postseason, but then came the losses. The team spiraled and was no more than a potential Wild Card team.
Fast forward to mid-September and the Mariners have taken the AL West lead. They’re on a six-game win streak, including two straight extra-innings victories. Luis Castillo will be on the mound as the team attempts to extend its streak to seven games.
Castillo has a 3.85 ERA through 161.1 innings this year. He had a rough August, pitching beyond the fifth inning once and allowing two, two, six, three and five earned runs in his five starts. His first start of September was rough, too, allowing five earned runs on six hits in four frames.
On the bright side, Castillo had a one-run outing against the Braves in his last appearance. It was against the Braves, who are 16 games under .500, but it’s still a positive look for the veteran.
Yusei Kikuchi is starting for the Angels. He has a 4.18 ERA through 161.2 innings, while striking out 163 total batters. He recently hit the 1,000 career strikeout milestone.
Similarly to Castillo, however, Kikuchi is struggling of late. His most recent outing was two innings against the Athletics in which he allowed seven earned runs on six hits. The two starts prior, he allowed five and six earned runs against the Astros and Rangers, respectively.
He’ll complete the full circle of AL West teams tonight, having faced all four consecutively. The first three went miserably for him and the Angels, so there isn’t much confidence for the tides to turn. Additionally, the Mariners are playing well, which could lead to a disaster performance from Kikuchi.
Angels vs. Mariners pick, best bet
The Mariners are the easy choice, but -181 isn’t great value unless parlayed with something else. Another bet I like from this game is the over at 7.5 runs.
The Angels rarely get shut out, and the Mariners are playing well at the moment. Because of the pitchers’ recent games, it could get ugly quick. Whether you take the over as a single bet or parlay it with Mariners’ moneyline, it’s a good play for tonight.
The parlay would yield +184 value.