Athletics vs Seattle Mariners Picks and Prediction for Thursday, September 3, 2026

The Athletics visit the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park, with the first pitch at 9:40 PM ET, televised on MLB.TV. Oakland is 53-86 and tied at the bottom of the AL West, 17 games behind Houston and 17.5 games behind the final AL Wild Card spot. The Athletics have lost five straight after Tuesday’s 8-5 defeat at Texas. Seattle is 65-74, third in the AL West and 5.5 games behind the final Wild Card position. The Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak with Tuesday’s 9-6 win at Boston. Seattle leads the season series 4-2. Build your bankroll with our free MLB picks.

Athletics Try to End Five-Game Slide

Oakland ranks 14th in MLB with a .245 batting average and has scored 602 runs through 139 games. Tyler Soderstrom is batting .245 with 19 home runs, 56 RBI and an .810 OPS, while Jeff McNeil leads the regular lineup with a .266 average and 105 hits. Lawrence Butler has added 12 home runs and 10 stolen bases. The Athletics have some production throughout the order, but the recent results have been poor, with five consecutive losses against Baltimore and Texas.

Pitching has been Oakland’s biggest problem. The Athletics rank last in MLB with a 5.48 ERA and 1.50 WHIP, allowing opponents to bat .269. Oakland has surrendered 803 runs, producing a minus-201 run differential, and the staff has allowed 209 home runs. The Athletics are also just 28-42 away from home. Seattle won the final four meetings of the previous two series after Oakland took the first two games in April, giving the Mariners a 4-2 season-series advantage.

Injuries: Tommy White is day-to-day, while Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Brooks Kriske, Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz are on the injured list.

Seattle Mariners Return Home After Boston Win

Seattle has struggled offensively for much of the season, ranking 29th in MLB with a .228 batting average. The Mariners have scored 547 runs while hitting 162 home runs. Randy Arozarena has been their most productive regular hitter, batting .273 with 22 home runs, 65 RBI, 89 runs and 20 stolen bases. Josh Naylor is hitting .268 with a team-high 135 hits and 25 steals, while Julio Rodriguez has recorded 20 home runs, 57 RBI and 17 stolen bases.

The Mariners return to T-Mobile Park with a 37-31 home record after going 1-4 across their last five road games. Seattle’s pitching staff ranks 18th in MLB with a 4.19 ERA and has a much better 1.25 WHIP than Oakland. Opponents are batting .250 against Mariners pitching. Seattle remains within 5.5 games of Cleveland for the final AL Wild Card position, making this four-game home series important as the Mariners try to close that gap during September.

Injuries: Brendan Donovan, Cole Wilcox, Matt Brash, Will Wilson and Emerson Hancock are on the injured list.

Pitching Matchup

Athletics - J.T. Ginn

J.T. Ginn is 9-8 with a 3.71 ERA and 1.24 WHIP through 138.1 innings. The right-hander has allowed 114 hits and 17 home runs while recording 121 strikeouts against 57 walks. Ginn’s numbers stand well above the overall Oakland pitching staff, especially compared with the Athletics’ 5.48 team ERA and 1.50 WHIP. 

Seattle Mariners - Kade Anderson

Kade Anderson makes his third major-league start after recording a 4.50 ERA and 1.30 WHIP through his first 10 innings. The 22-year-old left-hander has allowed eight hits, five walks, and two home runs while striking out eight. Anderson debuted for Seattle on August 22 and has made only two starts.

Athletics vs Seattle Mariners Game Pick

• Seattle Mariners

Seattle has the stronger case at home, where the Mariners are 37-31, while the Athletics are 28-42 away and have lost five straight. The Mariners also won four of the first six meetings this season, including three consecutive victories in May. J.T. Ginn has the better established workload, but Seattle gets a young left-hander with promising early numbers. With Oakland carrying a 5.48 team ERA and minus-201 run differential, the pick is Seattle to open this four-game series with a home victory on Thursday night.

Athletics vs Seattle Mariners Over/Under Pick

• Under

The starting matchup points toward a lower-scoring game than Oakland’s season pitching numbers might suggest. J.T. Ginn owns a 3.71 ERA across 138.1 innings, while Kade Anderson has a 4.50 ERA through his first 10 innings. Seattle ranks 29th in MLB with a .228 batting average and has scored only 547 runs in 139 games. Oakland has dropped five straight and scored 22 runs across those losses. With Seattle also posting a 4.19 team ERA, the play is under for Thursday’s series opener in Seattle.