Category: MLB

The Mets have placed outfielder Juan Soto on the 10-day IL due to the minor calf strain he suffered against the Giants on Friday in San Francisco.

The move is retroactive to Saturday.

In the press release announcing the IL stint, the Mets noted that "a typical return to play for this type of injury is approximately 2-3 weeks."

In a corresponding move, the Mets called infielder Ronny Mauricio up from Triple-A Syracuse. 

On Saturday, manager Carlos Mendoza said Soto "was in a really good place," adding that the plan was to give Soto 48-72 hours to see how he progresses before determining next steps.

Playing all but one inning of the final three games against the Giants without Soto, the Mets scored 24 runs as they won all three.

Soto had been on fire to start the season, slashing .355/.412/.516.

With Soto out, Jared Young has excelled, reaching base in four of his five plate appearances.

On Sunday, Young went 3-for-3 with a double and played stellar defense in left field. 

Ok. The Red Sox are now 2-7 on the season after three series. They were meh against the Reds. Then bad against the Astros. And actually played the Padres pretty hard, more or less, but came away 1-2.

The absence of Garrett Whitlock — who, to be clear, 100% should be allowed the time off for paternity leave and isn’t at fault — really hurt them on Saturday and Sunday, especially with Oviedo looking not great in his first appearance and then hitting the IL. They only need to go, uh, 87-68 the rest of the year to finish with the same record as 2025.

The Brewers are having the opposite start to the season: they’re rolling. Milwaukee will come to Boston sitting on a 6-1 record.

Remember Brandon Woodruff? He was pretty big for Milwaukee through 2022. Then he had injury-shortened seasons in 2023 and 2025 surrounding an entirely lost 2024 campaign on the shelf. But he’s back now. In his first start of 2026 he tossed five innings of two-run ball against the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s going up against Brayan Bello, who’s looking to bounce back from his start against the Astros. The goal this spring was to give him more swing-and-miss in his game and that part of his last outing was a success. Hopefully there is more to come.

Tuesday is Jacob Misiorowski, aka The Miz vs. Garrett Crochet. The pitching phenom against The Pig. Misiorowski, a 24-year-old righty, enters the day with a 2.45 ERA / 3.91 FIP. To watch for: 18 strikeouts in his first 11 innings against the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. Glass half full or half empty, this could be a rough night for the Sox hitters. Crochet will need to be fully in control and bring at least his B game. In their meeting last year, Crochet struck out 11 Brewers in 6.2 innings as the Red Sox lost 3-2. Maybe bring the A game to be safe.

Wednesday is a getaway day before an off-day to travel and, maybe, reset. Chad Patrick will take the ball for the Brewers. In two starts he has an ERA of 0.96 (FIP 4.36) after allowing just one runs over two starts totaling 9.1 innings. Again, it’s the White Sox and Royals, so not the greatest accomplishments, but also not nothing. That’s three more righties for the Boston lefty hitters to feast on. Platoon advantage doesn’t guarantee results but it’s nice to have all the same. Sonny Gray will make his third start in a Boston uniform and we’ll all hope it goes more like his second. Two runs in six innings when your team can give you five is good enough for a win.

William Contreras, brother of Willson, will be in town. He’s off to a .259/.375/.481 start with a homer.

Christian Yelich is hitting .353/.389/.529 with a homer and is as hot at the plate as he could be.

Old friend David Hamilton has stolen four bases for the Brewers.

The good news? After the Brewers series the Sox go on the road for six games against the rebuilding Cardinals (4-4 ahead of Sunday Night Baseball) and Twins (3-6). And then another potentially brutal stretch facing the Tigers and Yankees. But good teams win against good teams so we’ll see what happens.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday, April 6: Brandon Woodruff (3.60 ERA / 5.98 FIP) vs. Brayan Bello (9.64 ERA / 7.04 FIP)

Tuesday, April 7: Jacob Misiorowski (2.45 ERA / 3.91 FIP) vs. Garrett Crochet (3.27 ERA / 2.73 FIP)

Wednesday, April 8: Chad Patrick (0.96 ERA / 4.36 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (4.50 ERA / 3.18 FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Monday, April 6 at 6:45 PM ET on NESN

Tuesday, April 7: 6:45 PM ET on NESN

Wednesday, April 8: 1:35 PM ET on NESN

Ok. The Red Sox are now 2-7 on the season after three series. They were meh against the Reds. Then bad against the Astros. And actually played the Padres pretty hard, more or less, but came away 1-2.

The absence of Garrett Whitlock — who, to be clear, 100% should be allowed the time off for paternity leave and isn’t at fault — really hurt them on Saturday and Sunday, especially with Oviedo looking not great in his first appearance and then hitting the IL. They only need to go, uh, 87-68 the rest of the year to finish with the same record as 2025.

The Brewers are having the opposite start to the season: they’re rolling. Milwaukee will come to Boston sitting on a 6-1 record.

Remember Brandon Woodruff? He was pretty big for Milwaukee through 2022. Then he had injury-shortened seasons in 2023 and 2025 surrounding an entirely lost 2024 campaign on the shelf. But he’s back now. In his first start of 2026 he tossed five innings of two-run ball against the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s going up against Brayan Bello, who’s looking to bounce back from his start against the Astros. The goal this spring was to give him more swing-and-miss in his game and that part of his last outing was a success. Hopefully there is more to come.

Tuesday is Jacob Misiorowski, aka The Miz vs. Garrett Crochet. The pitching phenom against The Pig. Misiorowski, a 24-year-old righty, enters the day with a 2.45 ERA / 3.91 FIP. To watch for: 18 strikeouts in his first 11 innings against the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. Glass half full or half empty, this could be a rough night for the Sox hitters. Crochet will need to be fully in control and bring at least his B game. In their meeting last year, Crochet struck out 11 Brewers in 6.2 innings as the Red Sox lost 3-2. Maybe bring the A game to be safe.

Wednesday is a getaway day before an off-day to travel and, maybe, reset. Chad Patrick will take the ball for the Brewers. In two starts he has an ERA of 0.96 (FIP 4.36) after allowing just one runs over two starts totaling 9.1 innings. Again, it’s the White Sox and Royals, so not the greatest accomplishments, but also not nothing. That’s three more righties for the Boston lefty hitters to feast on. Platoon advantage doesn’t guarantee results but it’s nice to have all the same. Sonny Gray will make his third start in a Boston uniform and we’ll all hope it goes more like his second. Two runs in six innings when your team can give you five is good enough for a win.

William Contreras, brother of Willson, will be in town. He’s off to a .259/.375/.481 start with a homer.

Christian Yelich is hitting .353/.389/.529 with a homer and is as hot at the plate as he could be.

Old friend David Hamilton has stolen four bases for the Brewers.

The good news? After the Brewers series the Sox go on the road for six games against the rebuilding Cardinals (4-4 ahead of Sunday Night Baseball) and Twins (3-6). And then another potentially brutal stretch facing the Tigers and Yankees. But good teams win against good teams so we’ll see what happens.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Monday, April 6: Brandon Woodruff (3.60 ERA / 5.98 FIP) vs. Brayan Bello (9.64 ERA / 7.04 FIP)

Tuesday, April 7: Jacob Misiorowski (2.45 ERA / 3.91 FIP) vs. Garrett Crochet (3.27 ERA / 2.73 FIP)

Wednesday, April 8: Chad Patrick (0.96 ERA / 4.36 FIP) vs. Sonny Gray (4.50 ERA / 3.18 FIP)

When/Where to Watch

Monday, April 6 at 6:45 PM ET on NESN

Tuesday, April 7: 6:45 PM ET on NESN

Wednesday, April 8: 1:35 PM ET on NESN

The Cubs have not started out the season well, and now have lost a second starting pitcher to injury:

Boyd had a rough outing on Opening Day, but recovered and threw very well last Wednesday against the Angels, striking out 10.

Let’s hope this turns out to be correct:

Javier Assad has made two starts for Triple-A Iowa this year. He threw three shutout innings against Columbus, then got hit pretty hard by Louisville. Assad is pretty much a known quantity; his MLB seasons have all been quite similar. I wouldn’t expect him to give the value Boyd does, but he will eat up some innings and probably throw reasonably well. He threw 75 pitches against Louisville last Thursday, so he should be ready to go tomorrow and perhaps throw up to 90 pitches or so.

This obviously isn’t the way any of us wanted the season to begin. Fortunately for the Cubs, they do have some starting pitcher depth. Let’s hope it doesn’t get tested any further.

The Cubs have not started out the season well, and now have lost a second starting pitcher to injury:

Boyd had a rough outing on Opening Day, but recovered and threw very well last Wednesday against the Angels, striking out 10.

Let’s hope this turns out to be correct:

Javier Assad has made two starts for Triple-A Iowa this year. He threw three shutout innings against Columbus, then got hit pretty hard by Louisville. Assad is pretty much a known quantity; his MLB seasons have all been quite similar. I wouldn’t expect him to give the value Boyd does, but he will eat up some innings and probably throw reasonably well. He threw 75 pitches against Louisville last Thursday, so he should be ready to go tomorrow and perhaps throw up to 90 pitches or so.

This obviously isn’t the way any of us wanted the season to begin. Fortunately for the Cubs, they do have some starting pitcher depth. Let’s hope it doesn’t get tested any further.

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The bases are juiced as we open another week of MLB action, and I’m ready to drive in some MLB player props winners. 

My best bets today include Ernie Clement doing his best to exact some revenge in the Blue Jays World Series rematch against the Dodgers, and Logan Gilbert racking up the Ks in a matchup vs. the Rangers.

Those and more MLB picks for Monday, April 6 below.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
German Marquez	Under 14.5 Outs	+122
Ernie Clement	Over 1.5 Total Bases	+105
Logan Gilbert	Over 6.5 Strikeouts	+102

German Marquez Under 14.5 Outs Recorded (+122)

Konnor Griffin is getting all the headlines for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Buccos as a whole have begun 2026 with a bang.

The Pirates have rattled off five straight wins, plating 32 runs, and enter tonight’s game against the San Diego Padres ranked ninth in wRC+ and seventh in OPS.

That’s not great for Padres starter German Marquez. It appears that pitching in Colorado wasn’t the only issue for the veteran right-hander. He was tagged for four runs on eight hits in his first start with the Friars. That included two home runs in just three innings of work against a relatively light-hitting San Francisco Giants squad.

The Pirates have chased the opposing starter before completing five innings three times during this five-game winning streak. I’m betting it happens again tonight. 

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Padres.TV, SNP

Ernie Clement Over 1.5 Total Bases (+105)

It’s fun that we get a rematch of one of the most exciting World Series so early in the season. But while the Los Angeles Dodgers have rolled into 2026, it’s been a bit of a rough start for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto enters at 4-5, thanks to some poor fundamentals, ineffective relief pitching, and a lack of clutch hits.

Luckily, they can still rely on the guy who holds the record for most hits in a single postseason: Ernie Clement. 

The Blue Jays' second baseman is one of the few guys giving them good at-bats right now, hitting .297 with 11 hits over nine games. Clement was also a monster vs. left-handed pitching last season, hitting .326 with a .900 OPS.

He faces lefty Justin Wrobleski, who allowed three runs on four hits in his first start against the Cleveland Guardians. 

I love Ernie to set the tone in this World Series rematch and go Over 1.5 total bases.

• Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FS1

Logan Gilbert Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+102)

It hasn’t been the smoothest of starts to the season for the Seattle Mariners, and that includes starter Logan Gilbert.

The 2025 All-Star has surrendered eight runs over his first two starts, but the one positive is that he’s still getting a lot of swings and misses, resulting in strikeouts. He’s punched out 13 batters in 10 2/3 innings over his first two starts.

And now he gets a great matchup to keep that going when he takes the ball against the Texas Rangers.

Gilbert has been a problem for the Rangers for a while. Current Texas batters have combined for a .202 expected batting average and a 26.8% strikeout rate. The Rangers also enter this game with the 10th-highest K-rate in baseball.

If Gilbert can be a little more efficient, he is a great bet to go Over his strikeout prop tonight. 

• Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Mariners.TV, RSN

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The bases are juiced as we open another week of MLB action, and I’m ready to drive in some MLB player props winners. 

My best bets today include Ernie Clement doing his best to exact some revenge in the Blue Jays World Series rematch against the Dodgers, and Logan Gilbert racking up the Ks in a matchup vs. the Rangers.

Those and more MLB picks for Monday, April 6 below.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
German Marquez	Under 14.5 Outs	+122
Ernie Clement	Over 1.5 Total Bases	+105
Logan Gilbert	Over 6.5 Strikeouts	+102

German Marquez Under 14.5 Outs Recorded (+122)

Konnor Griffin is getting all the headlines for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Buccos as a whole have begun 2026 with a bang.

The Pirates have rattled off five straight wins, plating 32 runs, and enter tonight’s game against the San Diego Padres ranked ninth in wRC+ and seventh in OPS.

That’s not great for Padres starter German Marquez. It appears that pitching in Colorado wasn’t the only issue for the veteran right-hander. He was tagged for four runs on eight hits in his first start with the Friars. That included two home runs in just three innings of work against a relatively light-hitting San Francisco Giants squad.

The Pirates have chased the opposing starter before completing five innings three times during this five-game winning streak. I’m betting it happens again tonight. 

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Padres.TV, SNP

Ernie Clement Over 1.5 Total Bases (+105)

It’s fun that we get a rematch of one of the most exciting World Series so early in the season. But while the Los Angeles Dodgers have rolled into 2026, it’s been a bit of a rough start for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto enters at 4-5, thanks to some poor fundamentals, ineffective relief pitching, and a lack of clutch hits.

Luckily, they can still rely on the guy who holds the record for most hits in a single postseason: Ernie Clement. 

The Blue Jays' second baseman is one of the few guys giving them good at-bats right now, hitting .297 with 11 hits over nine games. Clement was also a monster vs. left-handed pitching last season, hitting .326 with a .900 OPS.

He faces lefty Justin Wrobleski, who allowed three runs on four hits in his first start against the Cleveland Guardians. 

I love Ernie to set the tone in this World Series rematch and go Over 1.5 total bases.

• Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FS1

Logan Gilbert Over 6.5 Strikeouts (+102)

It hasn’t been the smoothest of starts to the season for the Seattle Mariners, and that includes starter Logan Gilbert.

The 2025 All-Star has surrendered eight runs over his first two starts, but the one positive is that he’s still getting a lot of swings and misses, resulting in strikeouts. He’s punched out 13 batters in 10 2/3 innings over his first two starts.

And now he gets a great matchup to keep that going when he takes the ball against the Texas Rangers.

Gilbert has been a problem for the Rangers for a while. Current Texas batters have combined for a .202 expected batting average and a 26.8% strikeout rate. The Rangers also enter this game with the 10th-highest K-rate in baseball.

If Gilbert can be a little more efficient, he is a great bet to go Over his strikeout prop tonight. 

• Time: 8:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Mariners.TV, RSN

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Monday notes…

• IT’S STILL EARLY: April 6 is the earliest date on which the Cubs have played the Rays. The previous earliest was April 18, in 2022, at Wrigley Field. The earliest at Miami was June 11 in 2024, the last time the Cubs journeyed there. The Cubs’ first games this season vs. the Angels and Guardians also were their earliest in those rivalries. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• HOME RUNS ARE GOOD, BUT… The Cubs have lost the last three games in which they hit exactly three home runs: on Sept. 25 of last year, at home against the Mets, 8-5; on March 29, at home against the Nationals, 6-3; and yesterday in Game 2 at Cleveland, 6-5. Before that, they had lost only three of 19 three-homer games, going back to Sept. 30, 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• DOUBLEHEADER CATCH-UP: The Cubs split Sunday’s doubleheader in Cleveland. The last time the Cubs swept a doubleheader on the road was Sept. 11, 2015 at Philadelphia.
• STEALING BASES: The Cubs have stolen eight bases so far this year without being caught. They are the only MLB team with at least eight steals this year with no runners caught stealing.

Cubs lineup:

Rays lineup:

Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Shane McClanahan, RHP

Jameson Taillon’s ERA shows 0.00, which is good!

I wouldn’t exactly call his first 2026 start “good,” though. He walked four and threw 85 pitches and didn’t complete the fifth inning. Still, it was better than his awful Spring Training. So that’s something, anyway.

The last time he faced the Rays in Tampa, June 11, 2024, he threw six shutout innings, striking out five. That’d work, though most of those guys aren’t on the Rays anymore.

Cedric Mullins, new to the Rays this year, is 5-for-14 against Jamo with two home runs. So watch for that.

Shane McClanahan allowed two hits and three walks in 4.2 innings in his first 2026 start against the Brewers. That was, in fact, his first MLB appearance since 2023, following Tommy John surgery and then a nerve issue.

He has faced the Cubs once in his career, May 30, 2023 at Wrigley Field. Nico Hoerner homered off him that evening.

That’s about all I’ve got on McClanahan.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Rays site DRays Bay. If you do go there to interact with Rays fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Monday notes…

• IT’S STILL EARLY: April 6 is the earliest date on which the Cubs have played the Rays. The previous earliest was April 18, in 2022, at Wrigley Field. The earliest at Miami was June 11 in 2024, the last time the Cubs journeyed there. The Cubs’ first games this season vs. the Angels and Guardians also were their earliest in those rivalries. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• HOME RUNS ARE GOOD, BUT… The Cubs have lost the last three games in which they hit exactly three home runs: on Sept. 25 of last year, at home against the Mets, 8-5; on March 29, at home against the Nationals, 6-3; and yesterday in Game 2 at Cleveland, 6-5. Before that, they had lost only three of 19 three-homer games, going back to Sept. 30, 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• DOUBLEHEADER CATCH-UP: The Cubs split Sunday’s doubleheader in Cleveland. The last time the Cubs swept a doubleheader on the road was Sept. 11, 2015 at Philadelphia.
• STEALING BASES: The Cubs have stolen eight bases so far this year without being caught. They are the only MLB team with at least eight steals this year with no runners caught stealing.

Cubs lineup:

Rays lineup:

Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Shane McClanahan, RHP

Jameson Taillon’s ERA shows 0.00, which is good!

I wouldn’t exactly call his first 2026 start “good,” though. He walked four and threw 85 pitches and didn’t complete the fifth inning. Still, it was better than his awful Spring Training. So that’s something, anyway.

The last time he faced the Rays in Tampa, June 11, 2024, he threw six shutout innings, striking out five. That’d work, though most of those guys aren’t on the Rays anymore.

Cedric Mullins, new to the Rays this year, is 5-for-14 against Jamo with two home runs. So watch for that.

Shane McClanahan allowed two hits and three walks in 4.2 innings in his first 2026 start against the Brewers. That was, in fact, his first MLB appearance since 2023, following Tommy John surgery and then a nerve issue.

He has faced the Cubs once in his career, May 30, 2023 at Wrigley Field. Nico Hoerner homered off him that evening.

That’s about all I’ve got on McClanahan.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Rays site DRays Bay. If you do go there to interact with Rays fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers begin a three-game set tonight at Globe Life Field in Arlington, with first pitch scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EDT. 

Find out in my Mariners vs. Rangers predictions why I’m backing Texas to win the opener behind a bounce-back start from Jacob deGrom. 

Read more for my MLB picks for Monday, April 6.

Who will win Mariners vs Rangers today: Rangers moneyline (-113)

While Jacob deGrom did allow three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in his season debut, he’s held the Seattle Mariners lineup to a .231 average across 78 at-bats. The righty also had a 2.35 ERA at home last season, and the M’s are hitting .193 against right-handed pitchers.

Logan Gilbert, meanwhile, has been getting hit around. He sports a 6.75 ERA already, surrendering eight earned runs in 10 2/3 frames.

Gilbert’s underlying metrics suggest he’s been somewhat unlucky (2.82 FIP vs 6.75 ERA). However, he's also surrendered a ton of hard contact early (42.9%) and has seen an uptick in home runs allowed dating back to last season.

COVERS INTEL: Seattle is fifth-worst in the big leagues in team strikeouts, and deGrom is an elite power arm (26 Ks in 78 at-bats against the Mariners).

Mariners vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-115)

Two of the last four meetings have cashed the Under, and more importantly, we have two very good arms going to battle here. DeGrom is in a prime position to deal, and while I do believe the Texas Rangers offense will finally break out of the slump and score runs, I also don’t expect Gilbert to give up a ton of runs. 

Even with an influx of hard contact and home runs surrendered, Gilbert limits damage by missing bats at an elite rate. His 32.3% strikeout rate helped him post a 3.44 ERA last season.

While deGrom’s ERA was north of five against the Mariners in 2025, Seattle’s offense is struggling, and its core pieces have yet to produce. 

Mariners vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Seattle +108 | Texas -113
• Run line: Seattle +1.5 (-210) | Texas -1.5 (+175)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-105) | Under 7.5 (-115)

Mariners vs Rangers trend

The Texas Rangers have hit the Game Total Under in 46 of their last 75 games at home (+14.70 Units / 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Rangers.

How to watch Mariners vs Rangers and game info

Mariners vs Rangers latest injuries

Mariners vs Rangers weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers begin a three-game set tonight at Globe Life Field in Arlington, with first pitch scheduled for 8:05 p.m. EDT. 

Find out in my Mariners vs. Rangers predictions why I’m backing Texas to win the opener behind a bounce-back start from Jacob deGrom. 

Read more for my MLB picks for Monday, April 6.

Who will win Mariners vs Rangers today: Rangers moneyline (-113)

While Jacob deGrom did allow three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in his season debut, he’s held the Seattle Mariners lineup to a .231 average across 78 at-bats. The righty also had a 2.35 ERA at home last season, and the M’s are hitting .193 against right-handed pitchers.

Logan Gilbert, meanwhile, has been getting hit around. He sports a 6.75 ERA already, surrendering eight earned runs in 10 2/3 frames.

Gilbert’s underlying metrics suggest he’s been somewhat unlucky (2.82 FIP vs 6.75 ERA). However, he's also surrendered a ton of hard contact early (42.9%) and has seen an uptick in home runs allowed dating back to last season.

COVERS INTEL: Seattle is fifth-worst in the big leagues in team strikeouts, and deGrom is an elite power arm (26 Ks in 78 at-bats against the Mariners).

Mariners vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-115)

Two of the last four meetings have cashed the Under, and more importantly, we have two very good arms going to battle here. DeGrom is in a prime position to deal, and while I do believe the Texas Rangers offense will finally break out of the slump and score runs, I also don’t expect Gilbert to give up a ton of runs. 

Even with an influx of hard contact and home runs surrendered, Gilbert limits damage by missing bats at an elite rate. His 32.3% strikeout rate helped him post a 3.44 ERA last season.

While deGrom’s ERA was north of five against the Mariners in 2025, Seattle’s offense is struggling, and its core pieces have yet to produce. 

Mariners vs Rangers odds

• Moneyline: Seattle +108 | Texas -113
• Run line: Seattle +1.5 (-210) | Texas -1.5 (+175)
• Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-105) | Under 7.5 (-115)

Mariners vs Rangers trend

The Texas Rangers have hit the Game Total Under in 46 of their last 75 games at home (+14.70 Units / 18% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mariners vs. Rangers.

How to watch Mariners vs Rangers and game info

Mariners vs Rangers latest injuries

Mariners vs Rangers weather

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Mariners are on a run of playing the AL West, facing Anaheim, Texas, and Houston in a row over the next two weeks. They got off to a bad start against what should be the soft part of that schedule, dropping the weekend series to the Angels as the bats continue to scuffle; they’ll now face an uphill task in Texas, facing the three-headed monster of Texas’s rotation: Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and the Rangers’ newest and shiniest acquisition, Mackenzie Gore.

The Mariners aren’t off to the start they’d like, but the Rangers aren’t exactly in clover either, fresh off a sweep by the Reds after a hot 4-1 start. Unlike the Mariners, where the pitching has been top-5 in baseball and the offense bottom-third, there’s no real culprit to point to with Texas, although the bullpen continues to be a liability, especially as their starters have had trouble getting deeper into games.

The Rangers brought in Brandon Nimmo this off-season and so far he’s proved a valuable pickup, providing thump and on-base for the Rangers out of the leadoff spot. Wyatt Langford, hitting out of the two-hole, has been slower to get it going, but you know that, like with some of the Mariners’ own struggling stars, it’s just a matter of time. Corey Seager, batting third, has continued to be Corey Seager, and Jake Burger, with two homers on the year already (aka the same number Cole Young has), bats cleanup. The Nimmo-Langford-Seager-Burger set gives the Rangers, who are pretty evenly balanced handedness-wise (Must Be Nice), a nice L-R-L-R punch at the top of the lineup. 

Beyond that things get a little murky: Evan Carter is off to a strong start, but buried in the bottom of the lineup for some reason. The two Joshes (Jung and Smith) and Ezequiel Duran are in a time-share among the non-Seager infield positions. Joc Pederson continues to exist to make Rangers fans Mad Online. So far, this is looking similar to Rangers teams of the past, but Nimmo at the top of the lineup is an x-factor, much like Donovan is for the Mariners. Hopefully the Mariners will be getting their x-factor back for this series.

Probable Pitchers 

Updated Stuff+ Explainer 

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

Last year, Jacob deGrom made 30 starts for the first time since 2019 and crossed the 150 IP threshold for just the fifth time in his career. That health was the result of a conscious effort to pitch with a little less intensity. His fastball velocity was down about a tick from where it was at his peak, though it still averaged 97.5 mph. From a results standpoint, he ran his lowest strikeout rate since 2016 and the highest FIP of his career. Even in his diminished form, he was still one of the better pitchers in baseball, and as they say, the best ability is availability.

Nathan Eovaldi has also been forced to figure out how to do more with less (fastball velocity). Last year, he dropped the usage of his four-seam fastball by nearly 15 points, added a sinker to his repertoire, and increased the usage of his cutter and curveball. The result was a pitch mix that was a lot less predictable and a lot less dependent on his deteriorating velocity. Unfortunately, elbow and shoulder injuries derailed the success he was seeing with his new approach, and he spent most of the second half of the season on the shelf.

MacKenzie Gore was the Rangers’ big offseason acquisition in January. After being included in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade (the first one from Washington to San Diego), Gore has established himself as a solid frontline starter over the last few years. His secondary weapons are all fantastic — he’s the only pitcher in baseball to feature four pitches with whiff rates north of 35% — but he’s often let down by an inconsistent fastball. When he’s locating his heater well, it can give opposing batters fits. But too often — and particularly during the second half of the season when he’s worn down significantly — his locations will leak into the middle of the zone and batters will punish the pitch.

The Big Picture:

Do yourself a favor and do not look at this table. I haven’t and I’m writing the article. There’s really no benefit in it for you. Instead I invite you to look at some of my favorite works of art, one for every team in the AL West: 

• Joseph Cornell’s Setting for a Fairy Tale
• Emily Carr’s Untitled (Seascape)
• Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne
• Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie
• Jean-Honore Fragonard The Swing

The Mariners are on a run of playing the AL West, facing Anaheim, Texas, and Houston in a row over the next two weeks. They got off to a bad start against what should be the soft part of that schedule, dropping the weekend series to the Angels as the bats continue to scuffle; they’ll now face an uphill task in Texas, facing the three-headed monster of Texas’s rotation: Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and the Rangers’ newest and shiniest acquisition, Mackenzie Gore.

The Mariners aren’t off to the start they’d like, but the Rangers aren’t exactly in clover either, fresh off a sweep by the Reds after a hot 4-1 start. Unlike the Mariners, where the pitching has been top-5 in baseball and the offense bottom-third, there’s no real culprit to point to with Texas, although the bullpen continues to be a liability, especially as their starters have had trouble getting deeper into games.

The Rangers brought in Brandon Nimmo this off-season and so far he’s proved a valuable pickup, providing thump and on-base for the Rangers out of the leadoff spot. Wyatt Langford, hitting out of the two-hole, has been slower to get it going, but you know that, like with some of the Mariners’ own struggling stars, it’s just a matter of time. Corey Seager, batting third, has continued to be Corey Seager, and Jake Burger, with two homers on the year already (aka the same number Cole Young has), bats cleanup. The Nimmo-Langford-Seager-Burger set gives the Rangers, who are pretty evenly balanced handedness-wise (Must Be Nice), a nice L-R-L-R punch at the top of the lineup. 

Beyond that things get a little murky: Evan Carter is off to a strong start, but buried in the bottom of the lineup for some reason. The two Joshes (Jung and Smith) and Ezequiel Duran are in a time-share among the non-Seager infield positions. Joc Pederson continues to exist to make Rangers fans Mad Online. So far, this is looking similar to Rangers teams of the past, but Nimmo at the top of the lineup is an x-factor, much like Donovan is for the Mariners. Hopefully the Mariners will be getting their x-factor back for this series.

Probable Pitchers 

Updated Stuff+ Explainer 

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

Last year, Jacob deGrom made 30 starts for the first time since 2019 and crossed the 150 IP threshold for just the fifth time in his career. That health was the result of a conscious effort to pitch with a little less intensity. His fastball velocity was down about a tick from where it was at his peak, though it still averaged 97.5 mph. From a results standpoint, he ran his lowest strikeout rate since 2016 and the highest FIP of his career. Even in his diminished form, he was still one of the better pitchers in baseball, and as they say, the best ability is availability.

Nathan Eovaldi has also been forced to figure out how to do more with less (fastball velocity). Last year, he dropped the usage of his four-seam fastball by nearly 15 points, added a sinker to his repertoire, and increased the usage of his cutter and curveball. The result was a pitch mix that was a lot less predictable and a lot less dependent on his deteriorating velocity. Unfortunately, elbow and shoulder injuries derailed the success he was seeing with his new approach, and he spent most of the second half of the season on the shelf.

MacKenzie Gore was the Rangers’ big offseason acquisition in January. After being included in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade (the first one from Washington to San Diego), Gore has established himself as a solid frontline starter over the last few years. His secondary weapons are all fantastic — he’s the only pitcher in baseball to feature four pitches with whiff rates north of 35% — but he’s often let down by an inconsistent fastball. When he’s locating his heater well, it can give opposing batters fits. But too often — and particularly during the second half of the season when he’s worn down significantly — his locations will leak into the middle of the zone and batters will punish the pitch.

The Big Picture:

Do yourself a favor and do not look at this table. I haven’t and I’m writing the article. There’s really no benefit in it for you. Instead I invite you to look at some of my favorite works of art, one for every team in the AL West: 

• Joseph Cornell’s Setting for a Fairy Tale
• Emily Carr’s Untitled (Seascape)
• Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne
• Piet Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie Woogie
• Jean-Honore Fragonard The Swing