Before the end of the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline, both the Rangers and Marienrs made a few upgrades. Seattle reunited with slugger Eugenio Suarez while swinging a deal for first baseman Josh Naylor. Texas snagged Diamondbacks hurler Merrill Kelly, joining one of baseball’s best rotations. Now, these two AL West rivals are set to battle in the second game of a pivotal weekend series. Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Friday’s matchup between the Rangers and Mariners.
The Mariners are favorites (-192) over the Rangers, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook entering tonight’s contest.
Mariners vs. Rangers prediction, preview
Last night, it was Seattle who came out on top with a decisive 6-0 victory. Leading the charge was George Kirby, who tossed six scoreless, three-hit innings. Things won’t get much easier for Texas tonight when Logan Gilbert takes the mound. Despite battling injuries, the right-hander has been terrific in limited action (3.36 ERA, 1.05 WHIP). However, he was knocked around for four runs in five innings last week vs. the Angels. A return to T-Mobile Park should help on Friday. The former All-Star has a minuscule 1.94 ERA when pitching in the Emerald City.
To do damage against Gilbert, the Rangers will need their offense to step up. Fortunately, that’s been the case for the past two months. Since June 1st, Texas has scored the fourth-most runs in all of baseball (256). During that time, Corey Seager has absolutely raked. The superstar shortstop has notched a 142 wRC+ with nine homers and 26 RBIs. Joining him are fellow infielders Josh Smith (127 wRC+) and Marcus Semien (126 wRC+). On June 27th, the team managed to score four runs in just 5.1 innings against Gilbert. However, Seager is the only hitter on this roster with a batting average above .250 against the right-hander (.320).
If Texas has any shot at an upset win, it’ll likely take a terrific performance from Jack Leiter. The youngster has flashed some high upside this season, so it’s not the worst expectation. Still, his season-long numbers are fairly middle of the road (4.09 ERA, 1.32 WHIP). It’s been a mixed bag for the 25-year-old in this matchup. The last time he pitched against the Mariners, Leiter went six innings while allowing just one run. However, his previous meeting with Seattle did not go according to plan (6 ER, 4.1 IP). The M’s are more loaded than ever, pairing Cal Raleigh with sluggers such as Suarez and Naylor. That’s something any pitcher, especially a rookie, should be wary of.
Mariners vs. Rangers pick, best bet
Best Bet: Mariners -1.5 (+114)
In many ways, the past two days have just been bad timing for the Rangers. Sending out rookie pitchers to start in a high-intensity environment is never easy. In comparison, the Mariners will follow up Kirby with another All-Star in Gilbert on Friday. As good as Texas’ lineup has been recently, the biggest strength for this roster is its pitching. With such a notable edge on the mound, it’s impossible to fade Seattle tonight.
