Mariners vs. Athletics Prediction and Odds for Friday, August 19 (Regression has Come for Marco Gonzales)

The Seattle Mariners have won three-straight and hold the top Wild Card spot in the American League at 65-54. Tonight, they kick-off a series with the Oakland Athletics who are in the basement of the AL. However, the A’s did just split a series with Texas that they entered on an eight-game losing streak. 

It is a matchup of two left-handers on the mound as Cole Irvin goes for Oakland and Marco Gonzalez takes the ball for Seattle. 

Let’s take a look at the odds from WynnBET for this AL West battle. 

Mariners vs. Athletics Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line

• Mariners -1.5 (+130)
• Athletics +1.5 (-160)

Moneyline

• Mariners -130
• Athletics +120

Total

• 7.5 (Over -120 / Under +100)

Mariners vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick

Cole Irvin got touched up last time out against the Astros, but that seems to happen to just about every pitcher that faces Houston’s lineup right now. Other than that, Irvin has been really good for Oakland. They are only 7-14 in his starts, but prior to last outing he had a stretch of seven starts in a row with no more than two earned runs allowed. 

Irvin has a 3.13 ERA and a 3.92 fielding independent pitching, much better than Marco Gonzales’ 4.18 ERA and 5.11 FIP. Gonzales has been having a rough go of it for a while now. His last six starts he has allowed, five earned runs three times and six once. The other two outings were two and three earned runs respectively. 

Gonzales has an expected ERA and expected slugging in the bottom 15% of the league, an expected batting average in the bottom 10% and a strikeout rate in the bottom 3%. Those numbers tell you he is one of the worst starting pitchers in the league, it just took his ERA a longer time to catch up to those indicator stats. 

I think the struggles continue for Gonzales, but Oakland has too weak of a roster to trust. 

Pick: Pick: Over 7.5 (-120)

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