MLB Odds - Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers Live Betting Preview

The Seattle Mariners have been trendy choices over the course of the last several seasons to make some noise in the AL West. They've got a shot to make a statement on Opening Day to the Texas Rangers, the defending division champs.

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PITCHING MATCHUP

The season really turned around for the Rangers when they traded for Cole Hamels in 2015. Hamels was virtually spotless at home down the stretch, and the rest of the team seemed to be buoyed by the fact that the club was out to make a run at it even though at the time, Texas was still a ways back of the Astros in the AL West.

Live bettors should continue to be confident in what Hamels is bringing to the table now that he's pitching in the AL on a full-time basis from the start of the season for the first time in his career.

No matter where "home" was for Hamels last year, he was dominant. Batters hit just .214 against him, and he managed to go 6-2 even playing more than half the year on the worst team in baseball. We like Hamels from a live betting standpoint in this game because he seemingly gets stronger as the game gets on, and as the shadows creep in at Globe Life Park during the day, it'll become harder and harder for the batters to pick up the ball out of his hand.

Of course, that should be a huge advantage for a seasoned vet like Felix Hernandez as well. That said, we have our doubts that Hernandez is going to go deep into this game even though he's never been beaten on Opening Day in his career.

The righty started to lose some velocity at the end of last season, and there wasn't such a thing as an easy game to get through against a Texas team which averaged 4.64 runs per game, third best in the majors.

Globe Life Park is a tough place to pitch when your velocity isn't there, and though King Felix is fantastic and has pitched and pitched successfully here time and time again, Opening Day might not be the day you want to back him in live betting.

ADVANCED STATS

Rougned Odor has had a bit target on his back for a number of years as an up-and-coming prospect for the Rangers. He's having a remarkable Spring, batting .385 with four homers in just 39 at bats. Odor had a fantastic season against Toronto in the playoffs at the ripe age of 21, and he's shown some sneaky power, especially at home in his career.

Odor did hit three homers against Seattle last season, including one against Hernandez, and live bettors might be sharp to watch when he comes up in the lineup for a chance to get a quick run on the board with one swing of the bat.

TALKING BULLPENS

We're just not buying when the Mariners are selling in their bullpen. Last year, they had some good contributions out of Mark Lowe, Charlie Furbush and Carson Smith, but the closer's role was a nightmare to try to fill. The team went out and brought in Steve Cishek to fill that role, and you can color us unimpressed with the signing.

Cishek was a disaster for the Marlins last year when he was pitching in high-leverage situations, and we can't imagine that he's going to be much better at the job now that he's in Seattle. He's a setup man at best as we see it, and the fact that he's going to be called upon to close for the M's has to give live bettors a real cause for concern in this and every game until or unless this whole unit proves to take a step in the right direction in 2016.

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BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here, and start wagering today! First pitch for the game between the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers is scheduled for Monday, April 4, 2016 at 4:05 p.m. ET at Globe Life Park. The contest will be televised live on ESPN.