Seattle at Houston

Seattle took Game 1 of this series 6-1, and eight of nine players in the starting lineup chipped in with at least one hit. The Mariners are four games back of Houston in the AL West and fighting for their lives in the wildcard race, but they are still just 35-44 on the road this season. Houston is 3-2 during this home stand, putting 31 runs on the board vs. the M’s and Angels. The Astros are a top 10 team in all key offensive metrics and 25-17 (60%) at home since 2022 when coming off a loss by four or more runs. Left-hander Framber Valdez takes the mound today, and he’s allowed just two earned runs in his past four outings (27.1 innings pitched). Seattle hits .213 vs. lefties this year, and they’re 1-4 in their past five road games as an underdog vs. a southpaw. I like Houston to strike back. Take the Astros.