Monday MLB Best Bet: Blue Jays vs. Mariners

Written by Jake Thompson
Monday, 15 August 2011 17:33

We hope that the game between the Blue Jays and the Mariners will result in our 16th straight MLB best bet win.

The Seattle Mariners (52-67) and the Toronto Blue Jays (61-59) are the two teams playing in our Monday MLB best bet, and we’ll be going for our 16th straight win.  Online sportsbooks have the home-team Mariners as -139 betting favorites with a total of only 7 runs.  Toronto is 30-30 on the road while Seattle is 29-29 at home, making this American League clash all that more interesting from a wagering standpoint.

Although Toronto has been the superior team the past few seasons, it is worth noting that the Blue Jays have dropped 10 of their last 14 games played in Seattle.  Right-hander Henderson Alvarez (0-0, 1.59 WHIP, 4.76 ERA) gets the start for the Blue Jays and the prospect did decently in his first career start against Oakland last time out (5.2 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 3 ER).  Although Seattle doesn’t have much in the way of offense thanks to injuries and ineffectiveness, the Mariners have been hitting well of late (.272 over their last 10 games).

Opposing Alvarez will be right-hander Michael Pineda (9-7, 1.08 WHIP, 3.57 ERA) who started the season well but has cooled down of late (1-1, 1.26 WHIP, 5.94 ERA over his last 3 starts).  Although Pineda gave up 5 earned runs over 6.1 innings in Toronto in his last start against the team, he’s been much more effective at home and limited the Blue Jays to just 1 earned run over 7.1 innings in his Seattle start.  Toronto has batted just .251 over their last 10 games and may be without second baseman Aaron Hill (.226, 5 HR) tonight because of an undisclosed injury.

It’s extremely important for both teams to get quality innings out of their starters because I don’t trust either of these bullpens.  Toronto’s group of relief pitchers sport a 1.36 WHIP and a 4.07 ERA on the year, while Seattle has been just as bad with a 1.42 WHIP and a 4.01 ERA.  Seattle enjoys playing in one of the best pitchers’ stadiums in all of baseball, but you still have to wonder if these relievers will be able to get key outs in the later innings.

The Monday MLB best bet will be on the Blue Jays and Mariners going over 7 runs on the total.  Although Pineda has had success in Seattle this year, he’s been very poor of late and I have to believe that all these innings are fatiguing his arm.  Alvarez is young and still has some issues to work out so I also believe that the hot-hitting Mariners will be able to put a few on the scoreboard.  The bullpens are going to give up a few late runs and both pitchers have issues.  I hate to bet the over in Seattle because of the stadium dimensions but ultimately it’s the correct way to go in the Blue Jays vs. Mariners game.

Blue Jays 4

Mariners 5