Texas Rangers vs. Seattle Mariners Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/19/2022

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET

Venue: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA

Where to watch: Bally Sports Southwest, ROOTNW

DraftKings: Mariners -145, Rangers +125

BetMGM: Mariners -145, Rangers +120

Caesars: Mariners -149, Rangers +130

Rangers: 2-7

Mariners: 5-5

Let’s call this a do-over for the Texas Rangers. Jon Gray gets the start, it was an awful first few weeks for Texas, let’s just flush it all down the toilet and move on. Not that it will excuse the Rangers getting off to a 2-7 start, but their presumptive ace is expected to return after leaving early due to a blister.

The Rangers will try to get back on track, in many ways than one, after losing three of four to the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend, against reigning AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Tuesday.

This will be the first game of a three-game set.

Gray’s return to the rotation will certainly provide some relief for the Rangers’ pitching staff after getting rocked by the Angels over the weekend. Taylor Hearn lasted only a few innings and gave up three runs. He couldn’t make the fifth inning, which taxed an already fragile bullpen.

“Somebody needs to reset it,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “We need a few good starts in a row. … We’ve got arms. They're just getting taxed because we're having to basically go to a bullpen day every day. That's not fair to those guys.”

The Gray era looked to be off a good start in the season opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. He was spotted a 7-0 lead and he had gone through three innings with no problem. In the fourth he got taxed for three runs and then left with that blister.

If he comes back and looks the part against an inconsistent Mariners lineup, that’ll be a welcomed sign for both Woodward and a rest for that bullpen.

After getting dominated by Justin Verlander over the weekend, the Mariners bounced back with a 7-2 win over the Houston Astros in their series finale. They got six no-hit innings from Matt Brash, despite walking six, and Ty France hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to open the scoring. Julio Rodriguez also brought home his first MLB RBI in the win.

“Obviously, I wasn't throwing as many strikes as I would like to, and they weren't chasing breaking balls because I didn't show that I could throw for a strike,” said Brash, who earned his first MLB win. “That’s where I was struggling the most. ... It was just all a feel thing for me. For some reason, at the beginning of the game, I was just struggling throwing strikes with offspeed. It's going to happen. It was a little chilly out there. I thought the balls were a little slick, so it just took me a while."

The Mariners will be short a major bat after third baseman Mitch Haniger tested positive for COVID and will not be in the lineup. He will be out at least five days and need to test negative in subsequent days. But if the Mariners being at home helps matters, it’ll ease the tension a tad.

I must be sick in the head, but I’m thinking Gray bounces back and gets a quality start for the first time as the Rangers’ ace. He’ll need to be great in order to give the bullpen a break, but I think the bats will come out swinging hard at the park formerly known as Safeco and get the Rangers something to smile about, rather than watching Shohei Ohtani obliterate baseballs all weekend. Rangers win 7-5

Rangers are 9-30 the past three seasons as a road dog between +100 and +150.

Rangers are 4-18 the past three seasons after three or more straight overs.

Mariners are 69-50 the past three seasons against division opponents.

Mariners are 78-69 the past three seasons against right-handed starters.

Rangers:
Brad Miller (L) LF
Marcus Semien (R) 2B
Corey Seager (L) SS
Mitch Garver (R) C
Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B
Adolis Garcia (R) CF
Kole Calhoun (L) RF
Andy Ibanez (R) 3B
Willie Calhoun (L) DH
Jon Gray (RHP) 0-0, 6.75 ERA

Mariners:
Adam Frazier (L) 2B
Ty France (R) 1B
Jesse Winker (L) LF
Eugenio Suarez (R) DH
J.P. Crawford (L) SS
Abraham Toro (S) 3B
Jarred Kelenic (L) RF
Julio Rodriguez (R) CF
Cal Raleigh (S) C
Matt Brash (RHP) 0-1, 3.38 ERA

Batting average: Nathaniel Lowe -- .371

Hits: Nathaniel Lowe -- 13

Home runs: Three tied -- 2

RBI: Jonah Heim -- 8

Wins: Two tied -- 1

Saves: N/A

ERA: Dane Dunning -- 5.19

Batting average: J.P Crawford -- .355

Hits: Three tied -- 11

Home runs: Mitch Haniger -- 3

RBI: Ty France -- 9

Wins: Five tied -- 1

Saves: Two tied -- 1

ERA: Logan Gilbert -- 0.90