e heart of the AL West playoff battle, the Texas Rangers (89-70) and the Seattle Mariners (86-73) are set to clash in the second game of this crucial four-game series at T-Mobile Park on Friday night. Young rookie right-hander Bryan Woo will face a significant challenge, taking the mound for the Mariners against the seasoned veteran Nathan Eovaldi, who will pitch for the Texas Rangers. Let's dive into this matchup to determine the best baseball betting strategy.

MLB Betting Odds

Friday's baseball betting market initially favored the Seattle Mariners and Woo at around -125 over the Texas Rangers and Eovaldi. The over/under for the game was set at 7.5 runs, with both lines holding steady in the early betting action.

Rangers-Mariners Betting Preview

The Seattle Mariners pulled off a thrilling late-game comeback to win the opening match of this series on Thursday night, narrowly defeating the Rangers 3-2. Trailing 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mariners staged a dramatic rally, with JP Crawford delivering a two-out, bases-loaded double for the walk-off win.

Seattle was a -120 favorite in Thursday's game, and the total score stayed under 7.5 runs.

Despite their Thursday victory, the Mariners have struggled recently, managing only two wins in their last seven games. With an overall record of 86-73, Seattle is currently trailing the Houston Astros by a single game in the fight for the third and final American League wild-card spot.

Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers have been on a hot streak, winning seven of their last nine games, including Thursday's contest. Holding a record of 89-70, the Rangers lead the AL West by a two-game margin over the second-place Astros.

In head-to-head matchups this season, the Rangers have dominated the Mariners, winning eight out of ten games.

Friday's Pitching Match-Up

Bryan Woo is eager to bounce back after a tough outing in his last start against the Rangers, where he allowed six runs, including four home runs, in under four innings during a 9-8 Seattle loss. Prior to that, Woo was in excellent form, pitching 10 2/3 scoreless innings across two starts against the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels.

This season, the Mariners have achieved a 9-8 record with Woo on the mound, and he has been especially impressive in his last seven outings, contributing to five wins.

In two starts against the Rangers this season, Woo struggled, conceding 12 runs in just 5 2/3 innings of work. Seattle was defeated in both of those games.

Nathan Eovaldi has encountered some difficulties recently, failing to record a quality start in any of his five outings this month. In his most recent start against the Mariners, he gave up five runs in five innings during a 9-8 Rangers victory. Over his last five starts, Eovaldi has allowed 14 earned runs and 21 hits in 17 innings.

With Eovaldi on the mound, the Rangers have posted a 15-9 record this season, and he has won his last four starts. However, it's worth noting that his recent success may not be entirely reflective of his overall performance.

During two starts against the Mariners this season, Eovaldi gave up five runs over 11 innings. The Rangers emerged victorious in both of those games.

Splits With the Sticks

The Texas Rangers have been productive against right-handed pitching this season, with a .264 batting average, a .336 team on-base percentage, and a .461 team slugging percentage.

In contrast, the Seattle Mariners have struggled against right-handed pitching, with a .238/.320/.417 slash line. Notably, the Mariners have scored at least five runs in five of their last six games.

The Bullpens

The Mariners' bullpen boasts a 3.56 ERA this season, with a 1.27 WHIP and a 2.86 K/BB ratio. Despite closer Ryan Pressly's recent struggles, which resulted in a blown save on Thursday night, the bullpen has performed well overall.

The Rangers' bullpen, on the other hand, has a 4.85 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, and a 2.70 K/BB ratio. The Texas bullpen was responsible for Thursday night's loss, but it has generally underperformed this season.

MLB Betting Trends

The Texas Rangers have a solid road record, with 39 wins and 38 losses, and they have performed well against right-handed starters, with a 61-54 record in such matchups.

The Seattle Mariners have a 42-35 home record and have also excelled against right-handed starters, with a 64-55 record.

Totals Report

The over has hit in 81 of the Texas Rangers' games this season.

For the Seattle Mariners, the over has hit in 79 of their games this season.

At T-Mobile Park, the over has hit in 38 of the Mariners' games this season.