A’s vs. Mariners Prediction: Mariners Continue to Close Gap in Wild Card Race
By Peter Dewey
Chris Bassitt and Yusei Kikuchi will have a rematch of last week’s matchup in Oakland on Tuesday when the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A’s play the second game of their final series of the season.
Seattle won Monday’s matchup 13-4 to pull with 1.5 games of the final wild card spot in the American League.
Oakland is all but done, as it would almost need to win out and get some help in order to sneak into a playoff spot. Still, the A’s would love to keep their playoff hopes alive and Bassitt is about as good as anyone to send to the mound.
In his return from a head injury, Bassitt threw three innings of one-hit ball against the Mariners last week. He will face Kikuchi, who has struggled mightily in the second half of the season and was tagged for three runs in just three innings in that same game. He ended up walking four batters as well.
WynnBET Sportsbook has the Mariners as +100 underdogs (bet $100 to win $100) at home against Bassitt. The total is set at eight runs.
Mariners vs. A’s Prediction and Pick
I know that the Mariners pulled out the last game against Bassitt, but it was not his doing. The veteran could be extended a bit more than the 48 pitches he threw last week, and that certainly would help an A’s bullpen that ranks in the middle of the pack (16th) in ERA.
I’m simply not sold on Kikuchi in this one, as the Mariners are just 14-15 in his starts this season. Opponents are hitting .300 against Kikuchi in the second half, and he’s gone just 1-5 with a 5.98 earned run average in 13 starts since the All-Star break.
The A’s desperately need this game, and Bassitt has been the team’s best pitcher this season when he’s been healthy. Give me Oakland to keep its season alive.
Who takes this matchup? Make your pick at WynnBET!