Houston Astros vs Seattle Mariners 10/13/22 MLB Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Seattle Mariners and the Houston Astros meet Thursday in game 2 of the ALDS MLB playoffs action from Minute Maid Park. This will be the second installment in a best-of-five postseason Division Series. Houston has a 1-0 lead thanks to a comeback win in the Tuesday opener. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place. 

After scoring four runs over the first two frames in the Tuesday opener, Seattle went into the eighth inning with a 7-3 lead. The Mariners couldn’t hold on however and ended up losing 8-7. Starting pitcher Logan Gilbert went 5.1 innings with three earned on five hits and two walks. 

For the game two start, it’ll be Seattle’s Luis Castillo. In 25 regular-season starts this year Castillo went 8-6 with a 2.99 ERA. In 150.1 innings Castillo had 167 Ks overall. 

Over on the Astros’ side, they scored five runs over the final two frames Tuesday on the way to 11 team hits. The win came via a walk-off homer from Yordan Alvarez. Starter Justin Verlander was shaky on 4.0 innings, 10 hits and six earned but still gets the no-decision. 

Framber Valdez will take the mound for the Astros on Thursday. Across his 31 starts this year Valdez went 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA. Over 201.1 innings total he managed 194 strikeouts. 

The Mariners are 4-0 in their last four Thursday games and 26-8 in their last 34 in game two of a series. Seattle is 5-1 in the last six overall.
Meanwhile, the Astros are 14-2 in their last 16 Divisional Playoff games at home and 39-13 in the last 52 Thursday games. Houston is 75-28 in their last 103 after an off day. 

PICK: I’m going with Houston again. Probably staying away from this one, though. Valdez closed out September with an ugly run, posting 10 earned on 20 hits and four walks over 10.2 innings in a pair of starts. Valdez bounced back with 5.0 clean frames versus Philly in his last start, however. 

Castillo is in a similar situation himself. He ended September with nine earned in a 10.0-inning span over two starts. Castillo then notched a nice outing versus Oakland on October 5, posting one earned on two hits and a walk in 6.0 innings. I like both starters to do well here in a relatively low-scoring game. 

Andrew Follow on X October 12, 2022