Athletics vs. Mariners Prediction: Must Win Game to Remain Alive in AL Wild Card

The Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners start a three-game series with high stakes, each team trying to stay alive in the AL Wild Card race. Oakland sits three games back of the second AL Wild Card spot, while Seattle is just two games back; the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees holding the top-two AL Wild Card spots.

Being AL West division rivals, these two teams have seen plenty of each other in 2021. In 16 matchups over the course of the season, the Mariners have gone 12-4 and have won the last nine matchups against the Athletics. Nine!

In each of the last nine wins, Seattle sat +1.5 on the run line as underdogs and covered each time and the under on the total occurred in seven of the nine wins.

Chris Flexen (13-6, 3.56 ERA) will be the starting pitcher tonight for the Mariners and he has pitched much better at home this year, producing a 3.09 ERA against his 4.06 ERA on the road. In his last outing, Flexen picked up the win against this Oakland team, allowing just three hits and one run with eight strikeouts in seven innings of work.

The Athletics send left-hander Cole Irvin (10-14, 3.99 ERA) to the hill and he will be looking to settle in early after posting a 5.82 ERA in his last seven appearances. Irvin’s last appearance was a loss against Flexen and the Mariners, giving up seven hits and three runs in five innings.

Here’s how the odds look for this high-stakes AL West matchup on WynnBET Sportsbook.

Athletics vs. Mariners Odds

Moneyline: 

Athletics +100

Mariners -120

Run Line:

Athletics +1.5 (-195)

Mariners -1.5 (+165)

Total:

8.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Athletics vs. Mariners Prediction

Can Seattle make it 10 wins in a row over Oakland?

Irvin has struggled against Seattle in particular this season, allowing a .369 batting average against the Mariners in 2021.

The top of Seattle’s lineup, shortstop J.P. Crawford (5-for-11), second baseman Ty France (4-for-9), and third baseman Kyle Seager (5-for-10) have belted Irvin; France and Seager each hit a home run off Irvin.

On the other side, Flexen has allowed just a .229 batting average against Oakland in 2021.

I believe that the Mariners will win their 10th game in a row over the A’s, and I’ll take Seattle on the moneyline and that big run line value of +165, too.

Will the Mariners beat the Athletics again? Make your pick at WynnBET.