Mariners Kick Off Pivotal Three-Game Series Against Angels

• The Seattle Mariners sit five games back from Houston for the top of the AL West
• Perennial MVP candidate Mike Trout is batting .311 with 28 HR, and 58 RBI’s
• First pitch for game 1 of the series is at 10:07 PM EST from Angel Stadium 

The Seattle Mariners are in Anaheim for a pivotal three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels beginning on Friday, July 27th. First pitch is at 10:07 PM EST from Angel Stadium.

The Mariners have a 1.5 game lead over the Athletics for the last AL wild card spot. The Mariners host the Houston Astros following this series, and could use a string of wins to put space between them and the A’s.

The Seattle Mariners

The Mariners have a .598 win percentage currently, the highest for the club since 2001. They sit in the last AL wild card spot, but are hovering around zero run differential. They are 16 clubs with better run differential then the Mariners, with the Athletics boasting a +38 mark. If they are to make the playoffs, the Mariners will need to increase this differential.

This is amazing from @MLBNetwork research. #Mariners have -5 run differential, going for 60th win in 100th game today. No team in MLB history has ever won 60+ of first 100 games with a negative run differential. The 1954 Brooklyn Dodgers had lowest RD of any 60+ win team (+14).

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 22, 2018

Mitch Haniger and Jean Segura are both products from the Taijuan Walker trade, and have been a welcomed addition to the Mariners. Segura is batting .321, with 26 doubles and 15 stolen bases.

Wade LeBlanc takes the mound with a 6-1 record and 3.44 ERA. In his last outing he pitched 7.1 innings with ten strikeouts for the win over the Chicago White Sox.

The lefty is having a breakout year, and has 76 strikeouts to boast. The Mariners rewarded LeBlanc with a contract extension that could keep him with the club until 2022. LeBlanc’s previous largest contract was for $1 million with the Seibu Lions in Japan.

The Los Angeles Angels

The Angels’ season thus far has been less than memorable. Sitting at .500, and ten games out of the last wild card spot, the Angels are highly unlikely to make the playoffs. Angels brass seem to be preparing for next season, as evidenced by last night’s trade of Martin Maldonado to the Astros.

Two-time MVP Mike Trout is having arguably his best season to date. The 26-year-old is batting .311 with 28 HR and 58 RBI.  In the Angels’ last series against the White Sox, Trout went 4-for-9 with two home runs and six RBI.

Andrew Heaney takes the mound and has had quality starts in his last four games. In his last start against the Astros, Heaney went six innings giving up one run for the win. Heaney has a 3.66 ERA, and 106 strikeouts on the year.

Team Stats

Opening Odds

Mariners vs Angels Score Prediction

The Angels’ offense has come alive over the last two games, while the Mariners have not been able to score many runs in the last month. Count on Trout to lead the way and secure a victory for the Halos.

 Angels 6 – Mariners 2.

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