Last week wasn’t a great one for the Seattle Mariners (28-35) and the San Francisco Giants (34-40), who are both coming off losses. The Mariners are 1-3 in their last four games, and they will be looking to start this week on a winning note to avoid going lower in the standings. The Giants, on the other hand, are 0-4 in their past four outings. Will the Mariners prolong the woes of San Francisco when they pay the Giants a visit for the first time in 12 years? Or will the Giants end their skid later tonight?
For more baseball, you can click here for a preview of tonight’s matchup between the Braves and the Red Sox.
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Seattle Mariners vs. San Francisco Giants Preview
Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco
When: Monday, June 15, 2015, 10:15 PM ET
Line: Seattle Mariners (+117) vs. San Francisco Giants (-127); total: 7.0 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Seattle Mariners
[sc:MLB240banner ]Taijuan Walker’s numbers are still bad, but his recent performances suggest that the 22-year-old righty is finally headed in the right direction. Walker, who’ll carry a 3-6 record and a 5.40 ERA to Bay Area later tonight, has allowed just four runs over his last three starts. During that span, Walker picked up a 2-1 record and a fantastic 1.50 ERA. Walker was sharp in his most recent outing, allowing just an earned run in six innings in the Mariners’ 9-3 win at Cleveland on June 10.
Having conquered the hitter-friendly Progressive Field in his last start, Walker is poised to sustain his great form of late when he takes the mound of spacious AT&T Park. That being said, Walker’s 2-4 record and revolting 8.27 ERA in seven road starts this season are enough reminders for Seattle’s hitters that they’ll have to be ready to produce against the defending World Series champs.
Seattle’s offense has been downright pathetic over the team’s last few games. The Mariners haven’t scored a run in three of their last four games, which includes their appalling 13-0 loss to Houston Sunday night. So far this June, the Mariners are batting just .230 with four home runs and just 30 RBIs in 13 games.
Seattle’s top hitter Nelson Cruz is hitting .351 on the road this season.
Tim Hudson (4-5, 4.60 ERA) has yet to get consecutive wins this season, but that might change tonight as he takes on a team he has repeatedly beaten in the past. In 24 starts against Seattle since breaking into the majors in 1999, Hudson has picked up a 13-6 record and a 3.17 ERA. In addition, Hudson’s teams own a collective 7-3 slate in the righty’s last 10 starts opposite the Mariners.
Hudson was far from his best on Wednesday, though, as he was tagged with four runs in five innings in San Francisco’s 8-5 victory against the Mets. Hopefully, that’s not going to be the case for him against Seattle’s hitters, some of which have had a hard time reading Hudson’s stuff in previous meetings. Among them is Robinson Cano, who is 0-for-6 versus Hudson. Seattle’s recent acquisition Mark Trumbo, meanwhile, is only 2-for-11 (.182) in the same head-to-head situation.
Behind Hudson is the Giants’ offense, which is currently enduring the temporary absence of Hunter Pence. Pence was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a wrist ailment, and his usual No. 3 spit in the batting order will likely go to Angel Pagan again. Pagan, however, is on an extended hitless streak, going 0-for-17 in his last five games.
On the flipside, San Francisco has been a tough place for Mariners masher Nelson Cruz, who’s just a career .158 (3-for-19) hitter at AT&T Park.
