Seattle Mariners vs. Houston Astros Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 6/6/2022

Time: 8:10 p.m. ET

Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX

Where to watch: ROOTNW, AT&T SportsNet-SW

DraftKings: Astros -160, Mariners +140

BetMGM: Astros -165, Mariners +135

Caesars: Astros -161, Mariners +140

Mariners: 24-30

Astros: 35-19

Normally we'd be excited for this kind of matchup given these should've been the top two teams in the American League West this year. At least half of that prophecy is true with the Houston Astros doing work, but the Seattle Mariners have been a major disappointment.

But after the Mariners took two of three over the weekend against the Texas Rangers, perhaps things could be on the rise with a three-game series starting in Houston on Monday. Following this series, the Mariners will head back home for an 11-game homestand. Just what the doctor ordered.

The Mariners stormed back in the ninth to win 6-5 against the Rangers in Arlington in 10 innings, thanks to Eugenio Suarez becoming the destroyer of worlds. Suarez went 3-for-4 and had a homer, an RBI double and an RBI single. The RBI double was the most important as it erased a three-run deficit in the ninth to eventually get the win.

"We had the right guy up at the right time," Mariners manager Scott Servais said of Suarez, who has an eight-game hitting streak. "He's a veteran guy who's been in those positions. Our guys were locked in late, and that's a credit to them. It was looking a little bleak there."

The Mariners have absolutely not looked like they should've this year, and there's still plenty of time to make some noise not just in the division, but in the playoff standings in general. But the additions they made on the pitching staff, including reigning Cy Young winner Robbie Ray who will get the start on Monday, have not translated into immediate success.

And that, unfortunately, has made this division a one-team race with the Astros running away with it. Between the Los Angeles Angels' ridiculous 11-game losing streak and the Rangers not taking advantage in ways that they should, it's the Astros running away with this thing early.

Houston is coming off winning two of three against the Kansas City Royals over the weekend, highlighted by a 7-4 win over the Royals on Sunday in Kaufmann Stadium. Fresh off signing a long-term extension with the Astros, Yordan Alvarez hit his 16th home run of the season on a 3-for-4 day, and Kyle Tucker also went yard to propel the Astros.

Alvarez extended his hit streak to seven games and is batting .556 in that stretch.

"It's just part of baseball," Álvarez said. "I've just been going out there trying to get pitches. Thankfully I've been getting them. I just felt good. I felt really good. I felt like I was going to do some damage today."

I don't think there's not much to say here, other than the Astros are the much better team in this regard. And I think we have reached the impasse that the Astros will show why they are much better than the Mariners. Astros win 8-4

Mariners are 1-12 this season as an underdog between +125 and +175.

Mariners are 1-9 as a road underdog with that same line this season.

Mariners are 75-58 against division opponents the past three seasons.

Astros are 14-4 as a home favorite this season.

Astros are 15-7 as a favorite of -150 or more this season.

Mariners:
Jesse Winker (L) DH
Ty France (R) 1B
Julio Rodriguez (R) CF
J.P. Crawford (L) SS
Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B
Luis Torrens (R) C
Abraham Toro (S) 2B
Dylan Moore (R) RF
Sam Haggerty (S) LF
SP - Robbie Ray

Astros:
Jose Altuve (R) 2B
Mauricio Dubon (R) CF
Alex Bregman (R) 3B
Yordan Alvarez (L) DH
Kyle Tucker (L) RF
Yuli Gurriel (R) 1B
Jeremy Pena (R) SS
Chas McCormick (R) LF
Martin Maldonado (R) C
SP - Cristian Javier

Batting average: Ty France -- .332

Home runs: Eugenio Suarez -- 11

RBI: Ty France -- 37

Wins: Logan Gilbert -- 5

ERA: Logan Gilbert -- 2.22

Batting average: Yordan Alvarez -- .295

Home runs: Yordan Alvarez -- 16

RBI: Yordan Alvarez -- 34

Wins: Justin Verlander -- 6

ERA: Justin Verlander -- 2.23