Astros vs. Mariners: Picks, predictions, how to watch Friday’s game

The Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners square off on Friday with first pitch set for 10:10 p.m. ET. The game takes place at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA and will only be available on local TV or through an MLB.tv subscription. Jose Urquidy (8-4, 4.09 ERA) will start for the Astros, while Marco Gonzales (5-9, 3.50 ERA) will throw for the Mariners.

Houston (61-32) swept yesterday’s doubleheader with the New York Yankees and will enter Friday with a 10-game lead in the American League West. Urquidy made 17 starts this season and is coming off a start where he allowed three runs over 6.1 innings of work in a loss to the Oakland Athletics. The Astros rank sixth in OPS (.740), and Yordan Alvarez leads the team in home runs (27) and RBIs (63).

Seattle (51-42) will go for its 15th consecutive victory on Friday night, and the Mariners have not lost a game since July 1. Marco Gonzales made 18 starts in 2022, and he allowed five runs on 11 hits over 6 innings in his last outing, which was a victory over the Texas Rangers. The Mariners rank ninth in on-base percentage (.319), and Julio Gonzales leads the team with 52 RBIs as he continues a fantastic rookie season.

Astros vs. Mariners

Pitchers: Jose Urquidy vs. Marco Gonzales
First pitch: 10:10 p.m. ET
Astros local broadcast: AT&T SportsNet-Southwest
Mariners local broadcast: Root Sports Northwest
Live stream: MLB.tv (subscription)

Odds, picks & predictions

Run Line: Astros -1.5 (+135)
Run total: 8.5
Moneyline odds: Astros -125, Mariners +105

Moneyline pick: Astros -125

I’ll side with Houston to put an end to Seattle’s monster winning streak with a lineup that has more pop. The Astros have the fifth-highest slugging percentage (.422) and crushed three home runs in last night’s win over the Yankees. That will be the difference, so let’s side with the road favorites.

Player prop pick: Marco Gonzales Under 3.5 strikeouts (-130)

The Mariners starter has an insanely low strikeout total in 2022 with a 4.8 K/9, and the Astros do not strike out very much as a team. Houston strikes out 7.5 times per game, which is the third fewest in the league, and the Astros should get plenty of contact against Marco Gonzales in this spot.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600 (ONT), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY; 19+ ONT). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/ONT/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions. DraftKings operates pursuant to an Operating Agreement with iGaming Ontario. Please play responsibly.