MLB Picks – Two Great Pitchers Scheduled to Duel on Sunday when the Mariners

Two great pitchers are scheduled to take the mound on Sunday when the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners battle in the final game of their 3 game series. Neither team figures to be the baseball bet favorite in this game.

The Rangers send pitcher C.J. Wilson to the mound. Wilson is 2 and 1 on the season with a 1.75 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. Wilson has allowed 0 runs in 2 of his 4 starts this season. In the other 2 starts he allowed 5 runs and 2 runs, but the 5 runs were against the New York Yankees. The 2 runs were against the Chicago White Sox. There’s a question as to whether or not Seattle’s offense, which isn’t nearly as good as New York’s and almost as good as Chicago’s, will be able to get to Wilson on Sunday.

The Mariners send the 3 rd man in their rotation, Doug Fister, to the mound on Sunday. Fister pitched a brilliant game in his last but the Mariners’ relievers couldn’t close the deal and Seattle lost to the Chicago White Sox 5 to 4. In that game, Fister allowed 8 hits but only 2 runs in 8 innings of work. His overall record is 2 and 1 on the season for a 1.67 ERA and a .93 WHIP.

How big of a favorite in the MLB sportsbook will Doug Fister and the Seattle Mariners be in this game? Below is what I believe the baseball betting odds will be.

Expected MLB Odds

Texas Rangers

C.J. Wilson – L +1 ½ -200 -115 O 7 ½ -110

Seattle Mariners

Doug Fister – R -1 ½ +175 -115 U 7 ½ -110

The trends say that the Mariners are the bet in this game.

• The Texas Rangers are 1 and 6 in their last 7 games on the road.
• The Texas Rangers are 1 and 5 in their last 6 games on the road versus a team with a home winning percentage of greater than .600.
• The Seattle Mariners are 5 and 1 in their last 6 home games versus a team with a road winning percentage of less than .400.
• The Texas Rangers are 1 and 4 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams in Seattle.

Wilson and Fister both figure to pitch very well in this game. To me, the best baseball bet will come down to the odds on each team. If the Rangers are favored, then the best bet is on the Seattle Mariners.

If the Mariners are favored, and it’s likely that they will be, then the best baseball bet is on the Texas Rangers. That’s how close each one of these pitchers is. If something changes in terms of the starters and either Wilson or Fister doesn’t show-up, then the man who does is the one to bet.

So, if Wilson doesn’t start but Fister does, then the Mariners are the team to bet. If Wilson starts and Fister doesn’t, then the Rangers are the team to bet.

I’ll be logging onto the MLB sportsbook on Sunday morning and checking the odds on this game. Even though I’d like to pick a winner right now, the truth is that Wilson and Fister are just too close in terms of ability for me to side with one pitcher or the other.

I’ll side with the underdog in this game if both Wilson and Fister start.

Pick: Depends on the baseball betting lines