The Seattle Mariners showed why they’re favored to win AL West this season on Opening Day. Felix Hernandez dominated as the Mariners sizzled at the plate in handing Los Angeles its first loss of the year. But the Angels remain dangerous as the majors’ top offense last season. Can the Angels rebound with a big win in this season-opening series? Read on for a breakdown of this AL West showdown.
Get some more hard-hitting baseball action. Check out our complete previews for the Cardinals vs. Cubs and Padres vs. Dodgers.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Los Angeles Angels vs. Seattle Mariners Preview
Where: Safeco Field, Seattle
When: Tuesday, April 7, 10:10 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Angels (+120) at Seattle Mariners (-130); total 7.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Los Angeles Angels
That was a rocky start for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Opening Day starter Jered Weaver allowed four earned runs, while the Angels, last year’s top scoring offense in the majors (773 runs), scored just one run courtesy of Mike Trout’s solo homer in the first inning.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Trout may be off to a slow start in this season-opening series. The 2014 AL MVP has hit just .200 in 10 career at-bats against Seattle’s James Paxton, Tuesday’s starter. Meanwhile, lead-off hitter Kole Calhoun is 3-of-12 lifetime against Paxton.
David Freese should have some success at the heart of the order. He’s 4-of-11 with a home run and an RBI in his career against the Seattle starter. Freese has a .462 on base percentage against Paxton, the best among Los Angeles batters with at least 10 at-bats against the left hander. But reaching base may not be enough especially after the Angels went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position on Monday.
Providing run support is crucial for the Angels in this game. Starter C.J. Wilson received just two runs of support while going 0-1 with a 2.73 ERA in two starts at Seattle last season. Wilson allowed four earned runs and struck out seven in 13.2 innings in those games.
The Angels have lost their last four games at Safeco Field.
Can the Angels even up the score? Create a betting account now and put your pick to the test.
Betting on the Seattle Mariners
What better way to start the season than a victory against defending AL West champion Angels? The Seattle Mariners took a big 4-1 win over the Angels to start their season off with a bang on Monday.
The Mariners were hot at the plate, scoring four runs on 10 hits. Seth Smith hit 3-of-3 with two doubles and a triple. He scored a run and drove in two others. Dustin Ackley showed some power with a solo homer in the fifth. But the two have struggled against Los Angeles starter Wilson, going a combined 5-for-38 in their careers against the left-hander.
The Mariners should still be well-taken care of with Robinson Cano, who has hit .289 with seven walks in his career against Wilson. His ability to reach base (.413 OBP) against the Los Angeles starter should set up cleanup hitter Nelson Cruz nicely. Cruz has hit 4-of-10 with a home run and two RBIs lifetime against Wilson.
Seattle may not need plenty of runs with Paxton on the mound. Paxton has held Angels batters to hit .167 in four career starts against Los Angeles. He has been outstanding at Safeco Field, going 5-0 with a 1.69 ERA in seven career starts.
Writer’s Prediction
Paxton dominates as Seattle (-130) rolls to another win.
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