The Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox open their seasons with the 1st game of a 4-game set Thursday at T-Mobile Park. First pitch is set for 10:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s'lines around the Red Sox vs. Mariners odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; split last season 3-3
The Red Sox finished 5th in an extremely competitive AL East last season with a 78-84 record. They were 39-42 on the road. The loss of RHP Lucas Giolito to elbow surgery, who the team acquired this offseason, will loom large on the season. Most national sites gave the Red Sox a very poor offseason grade, as they did little to improve their roster or depth. Boston was 43-38 against the spread (ATS) on the road last season.
The Mariners barely missed the Wild Card round last season, ending with an 88-74 record. They were 45-36 at home and finished 2 games behind the AL West leaders — the 90-72 Houston Astros. Seattle was 32-49 ATS at home, the 2nd-worst home-covering rate in MLB. The Mariners strength is with their pitching, which should be among the best in the AL West.