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Astros Aim to Upset Mariners in Key Matchup
24 Sep
Summary
- Astros are road underdogs facing the Mariners.
- George Kirby's recent performance has declined significantly.
- Houston's bullpen has been overworked recently, raising concerns.
The Houston Astros are heading into a Wednesday, Sept. 23 matchup against the Seattle Mariners as underdogs at T-Mobile Park. However, projections suggest the Astros could secure an upset and win their second consecutive game against Seattle.
Seattle's starting pitcher, George Kirby, has shown a significant decline in his recent starts. His ERA has ballooned, and he has allowed a high rate of hard-hit balls and on-base percentage against the Astros over the past two years. The Mariners' lineup will also face rookie Ethan Pecko, who has demonstrated strong performance in his recent appearances.
The game's over/under is set at 7.5 runs. The Mariners' offense has been strong recently, ranking in the top ten for wOBA and xwOBA. Conversely, the Houston bullpen has pitched extensively in the past four games, showing concerning ERA and xFIP numbers, which could lead to the Mariners scoring enough runs to push the total over.
Yordan Alvarez is highlighted as a strong home run candidate for the Astros. He boasts a high ISO against right-handed pitchers and has previously homered off Kirby this season. Kirby has notably struggled with allowing squared-up contact and home runs to left-handed hitters during his recent slump.
