Nothing left to play for this season for either the Detroit Tigers or Seattle Mariners as they open a series in the Pacific Northwest on Thursday. The Mariners will be favored on the MLB Lines, but by home much depends on who their starting pitcher is. Currently, it’s TBA because it’s an opener.
Tigers vs Mariners MLB Spread & Prediction
- When: Thursday, 10:10 PM ET
- Where: T-Mobile Park
- Probable pitchers (away/home): Daniel Norris/Opener & then Wade LeBlanc
- TV: MLB Extra Innings
- MLB Spread: TBA
Yankees vs Red Sox MLB Week 17 Odds & Game Preview
Why Bet on Detroit?
The Tigers begin a 10-game road trip with this game. The Mariners went 4-3 against Detroit last season, including a 1-3 record at T-Mobile Field. Seattle has won the season series over the Tigers in three consecutive seasons and has won 10 of the last 11 games played between the two teams in Seattle.
Seems very likely that any day now the Tigers will trade outfielder Nicholas Castellanos, who will be a free agent after this season, and All-Star closer Shane Greene. Both have been linked to several teams ahead of next Wednesday’s trade deadline. Among Major League relievers with at least 37.0 innings pitched, Greene, ranks third with a 1.22 ERA (37.0IP/5ER), while he is fourth with a .157 (21×134) opponent batting average and ninth with a 0.86 WHIP.
The team has made a change in the bullpen, placing Victor Alcantara on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to July 21, with a right middle finger contusion and calling up right-hander Jose Cisnero from Triple-A. Cisnero has posted a 3.60 ERA in eight appearances in the majors this season. He’ll operate in middle relief.
It’s Daniel Norris on the mound for Detroit. Norris allowed one run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts across four innings in a no-decision against the Blue Jays on Saturday. The left-hander threw only 58 pitches in four frames but departed because of an innings limit the Tigers are now going to impose on him. Norris threw only 56 innings last season and is already over 100 frames this season. The 26-year-old is 2-8 with a 5.02 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, and 82 strikeouts in 100.1 innings. The southpaw was once considered one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but injuries and inconsistent command have lowered that value.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 3.64
- Hits: 8.02
- Walks: 2.60
- Strike Outs: 9.93
- Runs: 5.61
- Hits: 9.49
- Walks: 3.18
- Strike Outs: 8.09
Why Bet on Seattle?
Probably be easier to say which Mariners AREN’T hurt right now. First baseman Ryon Healy, second baseman Dee Gordon, right fielder Mitch Haniger and closer Hunter Strickland are all on the injured list. Left fielder Domingo Santana might join them. Santana was removed from Tuesday night’s game against the Rangers due to soreness in his right elbow. The 26-year-old entered play Tuesday with a .274/.343/.473 batting line, 19 home runs, 65 RBI, six stolen bases, and 56 runs scored this season.
Gordon landed in IL earlier this week with a left quad strain. It’s lousy timing, as the Mariners were probably going to try trade Gordon ahead of next Wednesday’s deadline. The veteran speedster apparently suffered the quad strain while driving back into first base during Monday’s game against the Rangers.
Healy and Haniger have both been out a while. Strickland is expected to be activated off the injured list during the Mariners’ upcoming road trip to Texas. Seattle will play two games in Arlington on July 30 and 31. Strickland probably would have been a prime trade candidate for the Mariners had he been able to return any sooner. The 30-year-old right-hander has been out since March 31 with a strained lat.
Not yet clear who starts for Seattle. Doesn’t really matter as it will be an opener who likely goes only one inning or perhaps two. Then said pitcher will turn it over to lefty Wade LeBlanc. LeBlanc pitched five innings, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four. He did not factor in the decision as the Mariners lost 6-2 to the Angels on Saturday.
It was a marked improvement from his previous outing, in which he allowed six runs on 10 hits to the Angels. He has allowed three or fewer runs in eight of his last 10 appearances, but LeBlanc has been prone to the occasional implosion this season as well. The left-hander has allowed six or more runs in four of his 15 games this season. The 34-year-old will take a 5-3 record, 5.05 ERA and 1.40 WHIP into Thursday.
LeBlanc has made three previous appearances vs. the Tigers and has a 4.91 ERA with no decisions.
Team Stats
Offense- Runs: 4.92
- Hits: 8.30
- Walks: 3.59
- Strike Outs: 9.64
- Runs: 5.98
- Hits: 9.48
- Walks: 3.21
- Strike Outs: 7.63
Tigers vs Mariners MLB Betting Trends
- Tigers are 1-8 in their last 9 Thursday games
- Mariners are 4-12 in their last 16 vs. American League Central
- Tigers are 1-10 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against Seattle
- The total has gone OVER in 11 of Detroit’s last 16 games against an opponent in the American League
- Mariners are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games this season
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of Seattle’s last 12 games
Expert Final Score Prediction for Tigers vs Mariners
Detroit Tigers 4 – Seattle Mariners 5
