James Paxton comes off the disabled list for Seattle on Monday to square off against Houston's Gerrit Cole in a top-flight pitching matchup. The Astros are coming off a sweep at the hands of the Rangers and remain short-handed without the injured Jose Altive and Carlos Correa in the lineup. Cole is 2-0 with 0.56 ERA against the Mariners, while Paxton is 5-3 with a 2.90 ERA against Houston. The backdrop is set for a low-scoring affair that prompts a play on the Under against this meager total.

Gerrit Cole continues to have a Cy Young Award type year. Hitters are hitting just .182 against him and he has been just as dominating on the road has he has at home. In an early season start in Safeco, Cole went seven shutout innings and allowed five hits. James Paxton returns after 19 days with a back tightness. Hitters are only hitting .192 at Safeco against Paxton. I'm not worried about the time off for one of the top 10 lefties in baseball. Paxton held the Astros to three hits and one run in six innings early this year. That was back when Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve were both in the lineup. The Astros have scored just 8 runs over their last three games all without Altuve.

Gerrit Cole was brilliant last time out at Coors Field, and he now sports a ridiculous WHIP of 0.98. The 'Stros have won eight of their last nine visits to Seattle and should snap their current four-game skid against James Paxton, who's returning from back inflammation and could be lifted early. Take the champs.