Orioles vs. Mariners Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Tuesday, July 2 (Trust George Kirby)

Reed Wallach | Jul 2, 2024

Jun 26, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby (68) throws against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports / Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

The Orioles and Mariners begin a measuring stick matchup between two teams jockeying for American League postseason positioning.

The Mariners have jumped out to the lead in the AL West, but aren't viewed on the level as the likes of the Orioles just yet, can George Kirby change the view of this Seattle team with a strong outing at home in the opening matchup of this July series?

Here's the odds and our best bet for Tuesday's matchup with odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

Orioles vs. Mariners Odds, Run Line and Total 

Run Line

• Orioles: -1.5 (+146)
• Mariners: +1.5 (-178)

Moneyline

• Orioles: -112
• Mariners: -104

Total: 7 (Over -110/Under -110)

Orioles vs. Mariners Probable Pitchers

• Orioles: Grayson Rodriguez (9-3, 3.72 ERA)
• Mariners: George Kirby (7-5, 3.35 ERA)

Orioles vs. Mariners How to Watch

• Date: Monday, July 1
• Time: 9:40 p.m. EST
• Venue: T-Mobile Park
• How to watch (TV): MASN2
• Orioles Record: 53-31
• Mariners Record: 47-39

Orioles vs. Mariners Key Players to Watch

Baltimore Orioles

Gunnar Henderson: Firmly in the mix for the AL MVP, Henderson actually leads the big leagues in FanGraphs WAR metric this season, playing a premium position at shortstop while crushing the ball. The shortstop is hitting .288 with 26 home runs with 58 RBI’s for the elite Orioles offense. He has been timely, dangerous and incredibly efficient. 

Seattle Mariners

Julio Rodriguez: The Mariners offense has floundered this season, and J-Rod hasn’t played to his MVP standard that he is held to. He is a plus defender, but is hitting only .247 this season with seven home runs and 29 runs batted in. For Seattle to be taken as a serious contender in the crowded American League, Rodriguez needs to find his swing. 

Orioles vs. Mariners Prediction and Pick

With two first place teams meeting, its fair to note the gap in overall team quality between the Orioles, who bolster an elite offense with a deep pitching rotation, and the Mariners, who have been able to lean on simply its pitching staff to offset a poor offense this season. 

With that in mind, the Mariners will have the better pitcher on the mound in George Kirby, who has elite command and has done a fantastic job of limiting hard contact. The right hander is in the 99th percentile in walk rate with a 72nd percentile hard-hit percentage. 

Kirby has pitched his best at home as well, posting a 2.34 ERA in seven home starts relative to a much more pedestrian 4.11 ERA on the road. 

In a game that is lined like a coin flip, I believe that the pitching edge with Kirby at home is enough to side with the home team.

PICK: Mariners (-104)

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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