Mariners, Rays American League Best Bets for August 2

There are multiple games today beginning this evening on the American League schedule, and there’s value to target in these spots. Below, you can find both games from the American League and some of our best bets on the FanDuel Sportsbook.Seattle Mariners (+144) vs. New York Yankees (-172) Total: 8.5 (O -114, U -106)

The New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners will play Game 2 of their three-game series tonight from Yankee Stadium. The Yankees own the best record in baseball and picked up their 70th victory yesterday after outlasting the Mariners 7-2. Even though they’ve lost two straight games and have a 4-6 record over their past ten, the M’s still hold the second Wild Card position in the American League. The AL East divisional race is not as close as the Wild Card, with the Yanks owning a 12.5 game lead and posting a 6-4 record over their past ten games. Both of these clubs have added reinforcements ahead of the trade deadline, and it won’t be a surprise if they continue looking to add pieces before the clock strikes 6:00 p.m. ET. 

Pitching was an area both clubs were looking to improve, which they both did, but they already had some high-end starters in their rotations. Logan Gilbert of the Mariners has quietly hung around in the AL Cy Young race, while Jameson Taillon has emerged as a reliable starter for the Yankees. Gilbert has a 10-4 record with a 2.78 ERA and 118 strikeouts, while Taillon is 10-2 with a 3.72 ERA and 92 punchouts. Gilbert has the edge in this matchup, but both starters have been more effective in this environment, Taillon being better at home and Gilbert on the road. Taillon has a 3.16 ERA at Yankee Stadium, while Gilbert has a 2.47 ERA on the road in 12 starts. 

The Bronx Bombers have been dominant at home this season with a 41-13 record, compared to the Mariners’ 28-26 as visitors. It’s hard to beat the Yankees on their home turf, but the Mariners present a lot of value in this matchup, and their moneyline price is difficult to ignore at +144. 

Best Bet: Mariners moneyline (+144)

The Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays will kick off a mini two-game set tonight from Tropicana Field. This series should have Wild Card implications in the American League, with the Blue Jays sitting three games ahead of the Rays for the top Wild Card position. Toronto has an 8-2 record over their past ten games, while the Rays are 3-7 over that same stretch. The Jays are coming off winning three-of-four games over the Detroit Tigers, while the Rays lost two-of-three to the Cleveland Guardians. In recent memory, Toronto has struggled at the Trop, which makes the line interesting, with the Rays as home underdogs. 

This important short series is expected to feature a great pitching matchup, and there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the two starters. Kevin Gausman of the Toronto Blue Jays will collide with Drew Rasmussen of the Rays tonight. Both of these arms have been highly effective in their roles, Gausman owning a 7-8 record with a 3.30 ERA and 122 strikeouts, while Rasmussen is 6-3 with a 3.17 ERA and 70 punchouts. Neither side has had much success against tonight’s starters, which explains the low total of seven. 

It’s hard to give one side a distinct advantage over the other, but Rasmussen has been dominant at home this season, holding a 2.09 ERA in seven starts. That number should play well in this matchup, and it’s hard to ignore the plus-money home underdogs on the moneyline tonight as a result at +120. 

Best Bet: Rays moneyline (+116)