Stephen Nover's MLB Thursday Free Play
(MLB) Seattle vs. Houston, 07/28/2022 8:10 PM, Score: 2 - 4
Money Line: 123.00 Seattle (Away)
Result: Loss
This isn't a great spot for the Astros. They are home for the first time in a week after being on the West Coast. Oh, yeah, they just were swept three games by the A's, owners of the worst record in the American League.

Certainly no need for panic as the Astros are 10 games up in the AL West.

The Mariners are a value play as an underdog having won 17 of their last 20. Those three losses did occur to the Astros in a recent series. However, before that series the teams had met 12 times this season and were even at 6-6. Seattle has won 19 of its last 26 road contests.

I don't see the Astros having a starting pitching edge either in a matchup of Jose Urquidy versus Logan Gilbert.

Urquidy is solid with a 9-4 mark and 3.93 ERA. He's 2-3 with a 5.50 ERA, though, in eight career appearances against the Mariners, including seven starts. He's faced Seattle four times already this year and is 1-3 with a 7.58 ERA.

Gilbert is 10-3 with a 2.76 ERA. This includes a 6-1 road record with a 2.42 ERA. Gilbert went up against the Astros this past Saturday and held them to two earned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.