The struggling Seattle Mariners are in a tough spot, opening a three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. The Angels are one of the best home teams in AL West with a 21-16 record, while the Mariners are 16-17 on the road. Can the Mariners find some midseason magic to start making a run to the top of the division? Read on for our complete preview of this AL West clash.
Runs have been hard to come by in the Mariners’ recent losing rut. They’ve lost three of their last four games as they were outscored 18-5 in their losses. But Seattle could get over its hump with Taijuan Walker (5-6, 4.94 ERA) on the mound.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Walker has been impressive in winning his last three starts, allowing just five runs in 19.1 innings while striking out 23. Two of those wins came on the road, allowing just one earned run in each of those contests. Walker has almost no experience against the Angels in his career, with Daniel Robertson as the lone player that he had faced before and in just one at-bat.
At the plate, the Mariners have been horrendous with runners in scoring position in their last four games, hitting just 4 of 28. Nelson Cruz, who leads the Mariners with 19 home runs, .303 batting average and 44 RBI, went 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position over that stretch.
Cruz has hit just 2 of 9 against the Angels’ starter Matt Shoemaker in his career, one of which was a homer. He could expect some help from Robinson Cano and Logan Morrison. Cano is 3 for 10 with two doubles against Shoemaker, while Morrison has hit 4 of 7 with a double, a homer and an RBI. Of the two, Cano has been the more reliable batter in the past seven days, hitting .364 with three doubles, a homer, four RBIs and four runs scored.
The Mariners have lost four of their last six on the road.
Betting on the Los Angeles Angels
Matt Shoemaker (4-5, 5.20 ERA) is having a forgettable season thus far, as he has allowed 15 home runs in 13 games. He’s also allowed 42 homers thus far, just four less than what he surrendered all of last season.
Shoemaker has struggled at home this season, going 0-4 with a 5.17 ERA in six starts. He’s allowed 18 earned runs on 31 hits and walked 10 in Angel Stadium thus far. He lost his lone home start against the Mariners this year, allowing three earned runs (all on one-run homers) in a 3-2 loss on May 4.
Despite Shoemaker’s struggles, the Angels have been able to give him some run support. The Angels have won all three of Shoemaker’s last three starts, outscoring their opposition 25-19. Los Angeles may get the most of its production from the devastating duo of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.
Trout is hitting .333 with four doubles, a triple, two RBIs, five runs scored and has walked three times in the past seven days. Pujols, meanwhile, is hitting .318 with four homers, 11 RBIs and six walks during that same span. Pujols should be able to showcase his power once again in this game. Seattle’s Walker has allowed the most home runs (12) among the team’s pitching rotation this season.
The Angels have won three of their last four home games.
