Seattle Mariners Medium Favorite (-3.5 to -7) Betting Trend

The Mariners' catastrophic performance as medium favorites stems from a fundamental organizational identity crisis that has plagued the franchise for over a decade. Seattle has historically been built around pitching and defense rather than explosive offense, creating a team profile that struggles to cover spreads when expected to win decisively. When oddsmakers install them as medium favorites, they're essentially betting against the Mariners' core DNA as a grinding, low-scoring club. This trend intensifies because Seattle often finds itself favored against weaker opponents during stretches when their pitching staff appears dominant, but their anemic offense fails to provide the run support necessary to cover larger spreads. The psychological weight of expectations also crushes this franchise, which has endured the longest playoff drought in major professional sports until recently. Players and coaching staff historically tighten up when positioned as clear favorites, leading to conservative game management that prioritizes winning over margin of victory. The key insight for bettors is to consistently fade Seattle when they're laying significant runs, particularly against division rivals who know their pitching tendencies intimately. This trend becomes most dangerous during April and May when early-season optimism inflates the Mariners' perceived strength before reality sets in.