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Seattle Mariners vs Tampa Bay Rays August 8th 2025
The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. The game is set for Friday, August 8, 2025, at 9:40 PM. The Rays come in with a record of 57-59 and are ranked 4th in the AL East. They have a recent streak of two wins and have gone 4-6 in their last ten games.
The Mariners hold a record of 63-53 and are 2nd in the AL West. They have a four-game win streak and are 7-3 in their last ten games. Drew Rasmussen will start for the Rays, with an ERA of 2.81. Luis Castillo will pitch for the Mariners, holding an ERA of 3.22. The game will air on FDSSU.
Rays vs Mariners Key Information
- Sport: Baseball
- Teams: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Seattle Mariners
- Venue: T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA
- Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
- Betting Odds: Rays Moneyline +109, Mariners Moneyline -128, Rays Runline +1.5 (-195), Mariners Runline -1.5 (+164), Total Over 7.5 (+102), Total Under 7.5 (-121)
The Rays Can Win If…
The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off a narrow 5-4 win against the Los Angeles Angels. Junior Caminero was a standout, hitting two home runs and driving in three runs. Shane Baz had a rough start, but the bullpen held strong to secure the win.
The Rays have a solid batting average of .252, ranking them 7th in the league. Their ability to hit home runs is evident, with 126 homers this season. Junior Caminero leads the team with 30 home runs, making him a key player to watch.
Drew Rasmussen will be on the mound for the Rays with a strong ERA of 2.81. His ability to limit opponents’ batting average to .237 is a big advantage. With a combination of solid pitching and powerful hitting, the Rays have a good chance to win this game.
The Mariners Can Win If…
The Seattle Mariners are coming off a narrow 4-3 win against the Chicago White Sox. Logan Gilbert pitched five innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out six batters. Randy Arozarena hit a home run, driving in two runs, which was key to the Mariners’ victory.
The Mariners’ power at the plate is a strong point, as they rank 3rd in home runs with 165 this season. Cal Raleigh leads the team with 42 home runs, and Eugenio Suárez has contributed 37. Their ability to hit the long ball can make a difference in any game.
On the mound, Luis Castillo will start for Seattle with a solid ERA of 3.22. The Mariners’ pitching staff ranks 7th in batting average against, limiting opponents to a .239 average. With a combination of strong pitching and power hitting, the Mariners have a good chance to win their next game.
The Lean
The Mariners are favored with a moneyline of -128, while the Rays are at +109. Based on the data, the Mariners have a slight edge in pitching with a lower ERA of 3.83 compared to the Rays’ 3.86. Given this advantage, the recommendation is to pick the Mariners to win straight up. The projected score is Mariners 5, Rays 4.
The total for the game is set at 7.5. Both teams have solid offensive stats, with the Mariners ranking higher in home runs. The model projects a combined score of 9 runs. Therefore, the recommendation is to take the over at 7.5 (+102). This is based on the offensive capabilities and the projected score.
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A Historic Chase: Junior Caminero, Rays Visit Mariners in AL Wild Card Showdown
The list is short, and the names on it are legendary. Only two players in the long and storied history of Major League Baseball who were born in the Dominican Republic had managed to hit 30 home runs in a season at the age of 21 or younger: future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols and generational superstar Juan Soto. On Wednesday night, a third name was added to that exclusive club: Junior Caminero. The Tampa Bay Rays’ All-Star third baseman is in the midst of a historic season, and he will bring his powerful bat to the Pacific Northwest this weekend as his team opens a crucial three-game series against the host Seattle Mariners. It is a massive showdown between two teams in the thick of the American League wild-card race, a series that features one of the game’s brightest young stars and a premier pitching matchup.
The Caminero Club: Joining the Legends
Junior Caminero’s performance on Wednesday against the Angels was a perfect showcase of his immense talent. He hit two home runs in the game, a two-run blast in the first inning and a solo shot in the third, to reach the 30-homer milestone for the season. The first of those homers was a towering 447-foot shot, the longest of his young career. The achievement of joining Pujols and Soto was not lost on the humble 21-year-old.
“Two legends,” Caminero said after the game. “I’m just trying to play my game, and it brings me a lot of pride to hear that. It makes me really happy.”
His manager and teammates were equally impressed. “I’m impressed with everything Junior does,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “To be at his age, the quality of the at-bat that you get, the power that he shows, the defensive play… he’s doing a lot of things to help us win.”
“I’m very proud of him,” added his teammate, Yandy Diaz.
The table below provides a snapshot of two teams that are battling for precious playoff position in the American League.
| Team | Record | Wild Card Standing | Runs Per Game | Team ERA |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 64-63 | 4.5 GB | 4.5 | 4.15 |
| Seattle Mariners | 69-59 | WC #2 (+0.5) | 4.8 | 3.95 |
A Clash of Hot Clubs
This series is a true battle of in-form teams. The Rays have won back-to-back games and are desperate to make a late-season push to close the 4 1/2-game gap in the wild-card race. Their offense is finally clicking, and they are looking to carry that momentum into a tough road environment.
The Mariners, meanwhile, are in the middle of a fantastic 10-game homestand, on which they have a 6-1 record. They are coming off a thrilling walk-off victory over the White Sox on Thursday, a win that manager Scott Servais credited to his team’s relentless effort. “We talk about effort and pushing through until the end, and our guys did it again today,” Servais said. “Incredible effort.” The victory, however, may have been a costly one, as newly acquired first baseman Ty France had to leave the game with shoulder discomfort, and his status for this series is uncertain. The impact of a key injury during a pennant race is a major topic, one often explored in our expert betting guide.
The Pitching Matchup: A Premier Duel and a Homecoming
Friday night’s game features a premier pitching matchup between two of the best right-handers in the American League. For the Rays, their All-Star ace, Drew Rasmussen (9-5, 2.81 ERA), will get the start. Rasmussen has been fantastic recently, winning his last two starts. This outing will have special meaning for him, as he was born in nearby Puyallup, Washington, and will be pitching in front of his hometown crowd. He has been spectacular against the Mariners in his career, with a 2-0 record and a minuscule 0.61 ERA.
The Mariners will counter with their own ace, Luis Castillo (8-6, 3.22). Castillo has been on a dominant run of his own, going 4-1 in his last six starts. He is coming off an outing where he threw seven shutout innings against the Pirates. The full box scores of their recent games can be found in our MLB game results section.
| Pitcher | W-L (2025) | ERA (2025) | Career vs. Opponent |
| Drew Rasmussen (TBR) | 9-5 | 2.81 | 2-0, 0.61 ERA |
| Luis Castillo (SEA) | 8-6 | 3.22 | 2-1, 3.30 ERA |
The scores and odds for this matchup will be incredibly tight. For more in-depth analysis of this and other games, you can view all of our MLB previews. To see who our experts are backing in this fantastic showdown, check out our daily MLB picks. To get access to even more premium content and betting tools, you can register for an account today.
