Mariners open second half vs. Astros looking to tie franchise-record win streak, now clear betting favorites to end longest MLB playoff drought

The Seattle Mariners have the longest playoff drought in Major League Baseball, last making it in 2001. How long ago was that? Future Hall-of-Famer Ichiro Suzuki was a rookie, at least in American baseball terms. The Mariners are on a 14-game winning streak as they open their second half tonight vs. the visiting Houston Astros, and Seattle is a solid favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to return to the postseason – but a short underdog tonight.

As recently as June 20, the Mariners were 29-39 and had a 5.3 percent chance of making the playoffs via FanGraphs. But a switch seemingly flipped with an 8-2 win in Oakland on June 21 and Seattle hasn't lost a series since. The team's streak of eight consecutive series wins is its longest since taking 14 straight from July 27-Sept. 20, 2001.

The 14-game winning streak has tied Atlanta for the longest in the majors this season and is one shy of the franchise record of 15 in a row set from May 23-June 8, 2001. Remember, that '01 team won an MLB-record 116 games overall but failed to make the World Series. Seattle has never reached the Fall Classic and is +1800 to win its first AL pennant.

FanGraphs now gives Seattle a 69.2 percent of reaching the postseason – although it likely will have to claim one of the three Wild-Card spots, as Houston still has a huge lead atop the AL West – and Caesars gives the M's odds of -175 to make it, with no at +145.

Seattle will get a major boost Friday with the activation of outfielder Kyle Lewis, the 2020 AL Rookie of the Year, off of the injured list. He has been out since late May due to concussion issues but hit well during a recently-completed 10-game rehab assignment between Triple-A Tacoma and High-A Everett. Lewis is hitting .267 with two homers and three RBI in 15 MLB at-bats this year. He also missed much of the 2021 season due to injury.

The Mariners appear to have the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year in Julio Rodríguez -- he's a -400 favorite. Rodríguez, who put on a show in Monday's Home Run Derby but lost in the final, is the first player in MLB history with at least 15 home runs, 50 RBI and 20 stolen bases through his first 90 career games.

On the mound Friday for Seattle is lefty Marco Gonzales (5-9, 3.50 ERA). His streak of allowing three earned runs or fewer ended at eight consecutive starts last Thursday in Texas when he gave up five runs in six innings. Gonzales is 1-2 with a 2.66 ERA in three starts this year against the Astros, who start Jose Urquidy (8-4, 4.09 ERA). He is 0-3 with a 10.38 ERA in three 2022 starts vs. Seattle.

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