Mariners vs. Rangers picks lean under for Monday matinee
CBS Sports’ Monday MLB parlay targets Texas alt +2 and two unders as George Kirby faces Kumar Rocker at Globe Life Field.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Mariners vs. Rangers picks for Monday’s standalone MLB matinee are tilted toward a quieter scoreboard, according to CBS Sports betting analyst Matt Severance, who points to a pitching matchup of George Kirby against Kumar Rocker at Globe Life Field.
Seattle visits Texas for a 2:35 p.m. ET first pitch to close a four-game AL West series. Because the game is indoors at Globe Life Field, Severance noted there are no weather concerns for bettors to factor into the matchup.
CBS Sports listed Seattle at 52-54 and Texas at 53-52 entering the game, with the Rangers 1.5 games ahead of the Mariners in the AL West. Houston, at 52-55, was also described by CBS Sports as still part of the division mix.
What are the Mariners vs. Rangers picks today?
Severance’s same-game parlay at DraftKings includes Texas alt +2, first-inning under 1.5 runs and alternate under 9.5 total runs. CBS Sports listed the same-game parlay price at +124.
A same-game parlay combines multiple picks from one game into a single wager, meaning every leg must hit for the bet to win. An alternate spread or total uses a different line than the main market, often changing the payout in exchange for more or less cushion.
The main betting board cited by CBS Sports had Seattle -1.5 at +135 and Texas +1.5 at -160. The total was listed at 8, with the over at -105 and the under at -114, while the Mariners were -135 on the moneyline and the Rangers were +116.
Why the under is in focus
Severance’s case starts with Kirby, the Mariners right-hander who entered at 8-8 with a 3.57 ERA. CBS Sports reported that Kirby had thrown six consecutive quality starts, defined as at least six innings with no more than three earned runs allowed.
Run support has been a sore spot. CBS Sports said Seattle has averaged 3.39 runs in Kirby’s starts, and a bettor placing $100 on the Mariners to win each of his 19 starts would be down $339.
Kirby has faced Texas twice this season, going 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA, nine strikeouts and a .250 opponents’ batting average over 13 innings, according to CBS Sports. The SportsLine Projection Model forecast him for 6.3 innings, 5.3 strikeouts, 5.1 hits allowed and 2.2 earned runs.
Texas counters with Rocker, who entered at 3-8 with a 4.13 ERA. CBS Sports reported this will be his first start of the season against Seattle, and that he is 0-2 with a 5.14 ERA in three career starts against the Mariners.
The SportsLine model projected Rocker for 4.8 innings, 4.5 strikeouts, 4.1 hits allowed and 2.0 earned runs.
Seattle’s lineup remains the worry
CBS Sports described Seattle’s profile as strong pitching paired with limited offense. The Mariners fired assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes over the weekend, and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said Saturday that the offense had been “abysmal for two months,” according to CBS Sports.
The report said manager Dan Wilson lobbied against that move, while director of hitting strategy Edgar Martinez and hitting coach Kevin Seitzer remained in place.
Seattle ranked last in MLB with a .640 OPS against left-handed pitching, according to CBS Sports, and sat 28th in both batting average at .231 and runs scored with 426. The Mariners scored six runs Sunday to stop a four-game losing streak, though CBS Sports noted they had only one run entering the seventh inning.
CBS Sports also reported that Seattle may be willing to trade from its starting-pitching depth, with Luis Castillo or Emerson Hancock identified as the most likely candidates, in search of lineup or bullpen help before the deadline.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.