Astros vs Mariners Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for May 5 (Seattle Steals a Victory Late at T-Mobile Park)

The Seattle Mariners (15-16) will aim to extend their winning streak to five games in a row when they host the Houston Astros (16-15) in the first matchup of their three-game series on Friday, May 5.

Astros vs Mariners Game Info

• Date: Friday, May 5, 2023
• Time: 10:10 PM ET
• Venue: T-Mobile Park -- Seattle, Washington
• Coverage: ROOT Sports NW

Not many MLB fans would've expected to see the Astros sitting in third and the Mariners sitting in fourth in the AL West at this point in the season. However, neither team has looked as dominant as it did last year, which makes getting a victory to start this divisional series important for both sides.

Astros vs Mariners Odds & Spread

• All MLB betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: HOU: (+116) | SEA: (-136)
• Spread: HOU: +1.5 (-194) | SEA: -1.5 (+160)
• Total: 7 -- Over: (-102) | Under: (-120)

The Mariners enter this contest as home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 10:10 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 7 runs with the under being favored at -120 odds.

Astros vs Mariners Betting Trends

• Houston is 9-1 straight up in its last 10 games against Seattle.
• The total has hit the under in seven of Houston's last eight games.
• Seattle is 4-2 straight up in its last six games against an AL West opponent.
• The total has hit the over in four of Seattle's last six home games.

Astros vs Mariners Prediction & Pick

Pitching has not been the issue for either one of these teams as the Astros currently rank second in team ERA (3.20) and the Mariners rank fourth (3.44). The issue has been at the plate as Houston and Seattle both check-in outside the top 20 MLB teams when it comes to on-base percentage in 2023.

Getting on base is going to be a difficult task again tonight as two reliable starters take the mound in Seattle. Cristian Javier has posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in six starts for the Astros (2-1 record), while Luis Castillo has logged a 1.82 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in six starts for the Mariners (2-0 record).

With each starter putting together a good start to the season, I find myself focusing on what could happen in the later innings. Each of these teams ranks among the top five in bullpen ERA, but it is the Astros relievers that have given up 13 home runs (T-No. 16 in MLB). I like Seattle to steal this one.

Final Score Prediction: Astros: 3 | Mariners: 4

Astros vs Mariners Best Bet

Yes, Seattle has been a gold mine when it comes to backing pitchers to hit their strikeout props this season. This number is still a bit too high for Cristian Javier, though. Javier has only tallied more than 7 strikeouts in one of his six starts this season and only logged 8 total strikeouts in two starts against Seattle during the 2022 regular season. The Mariners will find a way to make contact at home here.

Bet: Cristian Javier Under 7.5 Strikeouts (-150)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.