Nothing like a battle for first place to jolt you out of All-Star break doldrums, as the AL West-leading Houston Astros open a three-game set with the second-place Mariners in Seattle on Friday night.
Houston kicks off the second half with a five-game lead over Seattle, but are +115 moneyline underdogs at T-Mobile Park tonight.
Our Astros vs. Mariners predictions and MLB picks have the home team cutting into that division deficit to kick things off in the second half on July 18.
Astros vs Mariners prediction
My Astros vs Mariners best bet: Mariners moneyline (-135 at bet365)
It’s a matter of what pitcher you want to trust most for this one.
Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo enters this one with a 2-0 record in his last four starts, all Seattle wins. He ended the first half on a high, holding the MLB-best Tigers to six hits and three runs over five innings in a 12-3 win.
However, Castillo has been a mixed bag vs. the Houston Astros in two starts this season.
On April 8, he held them scoreless over five innings on five hits. On May 25, he was drilled for nine hits and three earned runs in six innings.
His counterpart is on even shakier ground, though. Lefty Brandon Walter is 1-2 in his last four starts and owns a 3.98 ERA on the season.
Walter’s struggles are even more pronounced on the road, where he’s 0-1 in four starts with a bloated 5.73 ERA. Opponents are hitting a crisp .289 against him in that split.
The M’s took two out of the three head-to-heads at T-Mobile Park, and are eighth in runs scored on the year.
Look for Seattle to tag Walter and tighten the race for first in the AL West.
Astros vs Mariners same-game parlay (SGP)
Mariners moneyline
Mauricio Dubon 2+ total bases
Julio Rodriguez Over 0.5 hits
Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon went into the All-Star break with hits in nine of his last 13 games. He picked up at least two total bases in seven of those games.
He’s also hitting .286 against Castillo this season, which includes a double and an RBI.
We’ll wrap with Seattle CF Julio Rodriguez, who was scorching into the break with homers in three straight games that helped sweep the Tigers, part of a run of hits in six of his last seven.
Rodriguez hasn’t faced Walter yet, but he’s in good position to stay hot against a lefty pitcher who struggles on the road.
Astros vs Mariners odds
Astros vs Mariners live odds
Astros vs Mariners opening odds
- Moneyline: Houston +118 | Seattle -130
- Run line: Houston +1.5 | Seattle -1.5
- Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Astros vs Mariners trend
The Under has cashed in four of the last six head-to-head matchups. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Mariners.
How to watch Astros vs Mariners and game info
| Location | T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA |
| Date | Friday, 7-18-2025 |
| First pitch | 10:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | SCHN, ROOTNW |
| Astros starting pitcher | Brandon Walter (1-2, 3.98 ERA) |
| Mariners starting pitcher | Luis Castillo (6-5, 3.41 ERA) |
Astros vs Mariners latest injuries
Astros vs Mariners weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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