Twins and Mariners Face Off in First Game of Three-Game Series

The Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins will meet on Friday night to begin a three-game series. The game starts at 10:10 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Both teams are sitting in third place in their divisions, so this series is important for both sides. Fans can watch on Mariners.TV, Twins.TV, or stream the game live on Fubo.

Bryce Miller will start on the mound for the Mariners. He has a record of 4 wins and 5 losses, with an ERA of 2.75 this season. An ERA that low means he gives up fewer than three earned runs per nine innings, which is considered very good. The Mariners are 53-57 on the year and sit third in the AL West.

For the Twins, Zebby Matthews is expected to take the mound. Matthews holds a 4-8 record and a 5.21 ERA this season. The Twins are right at .500 with a 55-55 record and are also in third place in the AL Central. Both pitchers will need to be sharp to help their teams win the opener.

Looking at the betting odds, the Mariners are favored to win this game. Their moneyline is set at -170, meaning they are seen as the stronger team tonight. The Twins come in as underdogs at +140. The total runs line is set at 8, with the 'under' being a slightly more popular pick among oddsmakers.

Both teams are dealing with injuries heading into this matchup. The Mariners have six players on the injured list, including Brendan Donovan with a groin injury and Matt Brash with a lat injury. The Twins have eight players sidelined, with Byron Buxton out with a hip problem and Pablo Lopez out with an elbow issue. Injuries can affect a team's performance, so both managers will need to make smart choices.

Seattle's Randy Arozarena is one of the most exciting players to watch in this game. He has hit 13 home runs, driven in 48 runs, and scored 67 times this season. He is also a strong base stealer, with 20 stolen bases in 26 attempts. His .283 batting average and .376 on-base percentage make him one of the Mariners' biggest threats.

Another key Mariner is Josh Naylor, who has 8 home runs and 38 RBIs this season. He has scored 42 runs and stolen 21 bases in 26 tries, ranking him 10th in all of Major League Baseball in steals. His steady play and speed make him a valuable part of the Seattle lineup. Naylor is someone the Twins will need to watch closely all game.

For Minnesota, Brooks Lee has been a strong contributor at the plate. He is batting .244 with 15 home runs, 56 RBIs, and an OPS of .719 this season. Lee has also scored 49 runs and stolen seven bases. He gives the Twins a reliable power bat in the middle of their order.

Kody Clemens rounds out Minnesota's most dangerous hitters in this game. He is batting .244 with 19 home runs and 53 RBIs in 382 plate appearances this season. Clemens has also scored 51 runs and stolen seven bases. His combination of power and speed gives the Twins another weapon the Mariners will need to contain.