Mariners-Athletics Odds: Oakland Favored in First MLB Game of 2019

Set those alarm clocks early, folks! We have early morning/middle of the night baseball to be played. Though the true "opening day" isn't until next Thursday, the Athletics and Mariners will be playing two games in Japan on Wednesday and Thursday morning at 5:35 a.m. ET.

That's a tall task for even the biggest baseball fans considering these games are smack dab in the middle of a work week.

Though Oakland and Seattle finished with 97 and 89 wins, respectively, last year, both are expected to take significant steps back in 2019. Oakland is still seen as a contender for the second wild card spot, but Seattle could potentially fall below 70 wins.

Here's how we're looking for the first game of the 2019 MLB season.

Odds as of 2 p.m. ET. Check live odds page for latest odds

Seattle Mariners vs. Oakland Athletics

Starters: Marco Gonzales (L) vs. Mike Fiers
Moneyline: Oakland -122, Seattle +113
Over/under: 8.5 (o-115)

There will be some great opening day pitching matchups, but this certainly isn't one of them.

Marco Gonzales is the M's "ace," but is projected to be a fairly average pitcher. Last year, he went 13-9 in 29 starts with a 4.00 ERA, though that number was a bit unlucky per his FIP and xFIP.

On the flipside you have Mike Fiers, who was the opposite of unlucky (aka lucky). Fiers was the most profitable starter in the majors last year, as the Tigers and A's went 21-9 in his starts for a whopping +17.0 units —  four units more than the next best.

His ERA of 3.56 was more than one run better than his FIP, the largest differential out of any qualified pitcher. You should probably expect his ERA to rise north of four this year.

One reason why baseball fans may want to wake up early is the fact that Ichiro is starting for the Mariners. Though he struggled mightily this spring and posted a negative fWAR in each of the past two seasons, he'll get to play in front of his home country one last time.

It's unclear whether or not he'll remain on the roster next week when the Red Sox visit Seattle. It's possible that he gets one final hit and calls it a career.