Here are two more opening daay game breakdownss.
STL @ LAD
Last season, the Cardinals finished 71-91, 21 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. It was their worst record in a full season since 1990 and the first time that they missed the playffs since 2018.
The Dodgers split their first two games of the season with the Padres in Seoul last week, winning the first game 5-2, but losing the second 15-11.
Starting Pitchers
4:10
|
SP
|
|
GS +
|
(8/32)
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
xERA
|
FIP
|
xFIP
|
SIERA
|
wOBA
|
xwOBA
|
HC%
|
K%
|
BB%
|
GB%
|
|
STL
|
Mikolas – R
|
|
(16/35)
|
(19/35)
|
1.32
|
4.78
|
5.41
|
4.27
|
4.76
|
4.81
|
0.330
|
0.354
|
42.8%
|
15.9%
|
4.5%
|
38.8%
|
|
LAD
|
Glasnow – R
|
|
(15/21)
|
(6/21)
|
1.08
|
3.53
|
3.63
|
2.91
|
2.75
|
3.08
|
0.270
|
0.292
|
44.6%
|
33.4%
|
7.6%
|
51.2%
|
|
Edge – LAD
The Cards starting pitchers ranked 27th with a 1.49 WHIP and 24th with a 4.83 ERA last season.
With newly acquired Sonny Gray on the IL, Miles Mikolas get the opening day start for the Cards. Mikolas has been a solid starter for the Cards since returning stateside in 2018 following a three-year run in the KBO. Mikolas started a league leading 35 games last season with more of them grading as below average (19) than above (16). He posted a mediocre 1.32 WHIP and 4.78 ERA over 201.1 innings with a 137/39 K/BB ratio. Nikolas can eat up innings, but that’s not necessarily a positive. Last season, he gave up more hits (226)_ than any other pitcher and struck out only 137 of the 860 batters he faced. Mikolas’ pitch-to-contact approach puts too many balls in play and he doesn't miss enough bats, with just a 15% K rate last season.
Glasnow started the Dodgers first game of the season against the Padres in South Korea and didn’t pitch badly, giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 4 walks over 5 innings with 3 Ks. The four walks were a lot for a guy who averaged only 2.78 BB/9 last season. The big righty threw 77 pitches in that outing and should be able to increase that going forward. Glasnow threw a career-high 120 innings last season, posting a 10-7 record with a 1.06 WHIP and 3.53 ERA, as well as a 162/37 K/BB ratio, but hit the IL twice, at the start of the season with an oblique issue and then with back spasms later in the summer. Coming into 2023, he’d never been able to avoid the IL long enough to reach even 120 innings, averaging less than 65 innings per season. If he can stay healthy, Glasnow could be one of the best in the league.
Bullpens
Team
|
W
|
L
|
SV
|
BS
|
SV %
|
Rank
|
HLD
|
RIP
|
Rank
|
LOB%
|
Rank
|
WHIP
|
Rank
|
ERA
|
Rank
|
STL
|
28
|
27
|
36
|
28
|
56.3%
|
24
|
87
|
0.55
|
22
|
69.7%
|
24
|
1.40
|
24
|
4.47
|
23
|
LAD
|
38
|
25
|
44
|
16
|
73.3%
|
3
|
85
|
0.43
|
3
|
73.4%
|
8
|
1.17
|
1
|
3.42
|
3
|
Edge – LAD
The Cards’ bullpen wasn’t very good last season, posting a 24th ranked 1,.40 WHIP, a 23rd ranked 4.47 ERA and a 22nd ranked 0.55 runs allowed per inning with a 24th ranked 69.7% strand rate. Cards relievers were also 24th in Krate, so they didn’t miss a lot of bats.
Ryan Helsley will start the season as the Cards’ closer. A forearm injury derailed his 2023 season, but he still notched 14 saves in 19 save opportunities with a 1.25 WHIP and a 2.45 ERA. Also returning are holdovers, Giovanny Gallegos and Andre Pallante.
Gallegos has apparently fully moved past the right rotator cuff tendinitis that resulted in him being shut down for the final two weeks of the 2023 season, after posting a 1.20 WHIP and 4.42 ERA. Although he's saved between 10 and 14 games in each of the past three seasons, Gallegos will find himself in more of a pure setup role if closer Helsley can stay healthy.
Pallante struggled to a 1.56 WHIP and 4.76 ERA, with a 43/30 K/BB ratio over 62 relief appearances in 2023.
The lowest reliever ERA on the Cards last season belonged to Jordan Hicks at 3.67, but he’s now in SF. This Cards’ pen looks average at best.
The Dodger’s bullpen that looked solid on paper, looked really bad in Seoul, giving up 10 runs (9 earned) on 14 hits and 10 walks in 11.2 innings. They have some solid multi-inning weapons like Ryan Yarbrough and Michael Grove, but they really need to get Brusdar Graterol healthy. He was huge last season and barring a setback in his recovery, Graterol should be able to rejoin the Dodgers' pen in early April.
Offenses
Team
|
wOBA
|
Rank
|
wRC+
|
Rank
|
ISO
|
Rank
|
BB%
|
Rank
|
SB
|
Rank
|
BsR
|
Rank
|
K%
|
Rank
|
STL
|
0.322
|
13
|
104
|
12
|
0.166
|
15
|
9.2%
|
7
|
101
|
20
|
-6.4
|
22
|
21.4%
|
9
|
LAD
|
0.341
|
2
|
116
|
3
|
0.197
|
2
|
10.2%
|
2
|
105
|
19
|
6.1
|
9
|
21.5%
|
10
|
Edge – LAD
While offensive production increased around the league last season with the shift ban, bigger bases, the pitch clock, and a full season without a dead ball, the Cards’ offense didn’t. The Cards averaged a 19th ranked 4.44 runs per game, with a 13th ranked .322 wOBA and 104 wRC+. In the aggregate, the Cards’ offensive numbers were mostly a little better than league average, but there were some hitters who underachieved in a big way
36-year-old 1B Paul Goldschmidt was one of them. Goldy’s .350 wOBA and 122 wRC+was the 2nd worst of his career and his 122 wRC+ were both the second-lowest of his career. His 25 HRs were his fewest since 2016, despite a career-best 50.7% hard Hit rate and an 11.9% barrel rate. Those are bad numbers, it’s just that we’ve come to expect more rom Goldschmidt. Even though he’ll turn 37 before the end of the season, he can still be productive hitter.
32-year-old 3B Nolan Arenado was another underachiever. He posted a .327 wOBA and 107 wRC+, both were his lowest in a full season since his rookie year in 2013. He also hit just 26 HRs, his fewest since 2014. Arenado also wasn’t quite as good defensively last season either.
WE should see bounce backs from both players and we could see gains from kids like OF Jordan Walker and 2B Nolan Gorman this season.
Walker, who will turn 22 in May, posted a .341 wOBA and 116 wRC+ with 16 HRs in 117 games, and Gorman, who will turn 24 in May, posted a .345 wOBA and 118 wRC+ with 27 HR in 119 games.
27-year-old 2b/OF Brendan Donovan also contributed a .345 wOBA and 118 wRC+, anf 28-year-old 2B Tommy Edman posed just a .306 wOBA and 92 wRC+, bit did steal 27 bases and played well defensively.
23-year-old OF Victor Scott II, who posted a .373 wOBA and 119 wRC+ in AA is also a top prospect waiting in the wings, so we could see him at some point during the season.
I expect this lineup to be better if Goldschmidt and Arenado can just get back to their career norms and if the kids hit as well as they did last season. This could be a really solid offense.
I broke the Dodgers’ offense down last week, so I won’t do it again here. Offense wasn’t an issue for the Dodgers in their first two games against the Padres in Seoul. They put up 16 runs on 23 hits and 15 walks! Mookie Betts led the onslaught with 6 hits and a walk in his 7 Abs. He drove in 7 runs and scored 2. Will Smith was the other big contributor with 5 hits and a walk in his 11 Abs. While big ticket free agent acquisition Shohei Ohtani added 3 hit including a HR in his debut series with the Dodgers. Last season, the Dodgers’ offense ranked 2nd with a .341 wOBA and 3rd with a 116 wRC+. They also ranked 2nd in HRs and that was without Ohtani.
Conclusion: The Dodgers should be the better team here. They should have the better offense, but that might be a closer matchup than I expect. I’ll reserve judgement on the two bullpens. The Dodgers din’t look good in Seol and are still missing Gratersol, but a Cards’ pen that wasn’t very good last season, doesn’t look much better this season. The starting pitching matchup should be a mismatch. I just don’t see how the Dodgers don’t get to Mikolas. I’m just wondering if I should have bet the 1st 5 instead of the full game because that’s the big mismatch here. I’m gonna think about changing it. What bothers me most about the Dodgers is this whole Ohtani thing. I don’t wehat the truth is , but something’s not right and it’s hanging over the Dodgers like a black cloud and it concerns me.
Pick -LAD ML in a series of parlays (for now – subject to change)
BOS @ SEA
After finishing 78-84, at the bottom of the AL East, the Red Sox were surprisingly quiet this offseason. They seem torn between trying to contend and trying to shed payroll, and cutting payroll seems to have won out. The Red Sox didn’t go on a spending spree and most of their homegrown talent is already on the roster. The rest of the roster is most comprised of trade or minor free agent acquisitions and the pitching is even more concerning. The Red Sox will head into the season with a lot of low-ceiling arms. Flirting with .500 isn’t what Red Sox fans are accustomed to, but it looks like the most likely scenario for the 2024 season.
Last season the Mariners got off to a slow start, posting a 38-42 record over their first 80 games. A blistering July and August actually had them tied for first entering September. Unfortunately, they went a dismal 11-17 in the final full month of the regular season and ended up missing the playoffs by one game. That had to make for an excruciating and very long offseason. While they still have just one playoff appearance since 2001, there is a lot to be excited about, this season. A lot of young arms came up and had an impact, and that bodes well for the future. The Mariners won 90 games last season, 90 in 2022 and 88 in 2021with the one playoff appearance. The Mariners should be a good team again this season, possibly a very good team.
Starting Pitchers
10:10
|
SP
|
|
GS +
|
GS -
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
xERA
|
FIP
|
xFIP
|
SIERA
|
wOBA
|
xwOBA
|
HC%
|
K%
|
BB%
|
GB%
|
BOS
|
Bello – R
|
|
(18/28)
|
(10/18)
|
1.34
|
4.24
|
4.18
|
4.54
|
4.02
|
4.16
|
0.334
|
0.315
|
44.3%
|
19.8%
|
6.7%
|
56.2%
|
SEA
|
Castillo – R
|
|
(22/33)
|
10/33)
|
1.10
|
3.34
|
3.82
|
3.81
|
3.81
|
3.74
|
0.289
|
0.302
|
41.8%
|
27.3%
|
7.0%
|
38.9%
|
Edge – SEA
Red Sox starting pitchers posted a 1.29 WHIP (ranked #16) and a and a 4.68 ERA (ranked #22) and it could be even worse this season. They traded longtime ace Chris Sale to the Braves and the only pitcher of any note that they added was free agent Lucas Gioilito, who is now out for the season. That leaves a starting rotation of veteran Nick Pivetta, along with largely unproven Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Garret Whitlock.
The 24-year-old Bello will start the opener. The Red Sox recently completed a six-year contract extension him, so they must see something there. Bello finished 12-11 last season with 18 of his 28 starts grading as above average and 10 grading as below. He posted a mediocre 1.34 WHIP and 4.24 ERA over 157 innings with a 132/45 K/BB ratio. Bello was Boston’s best starter for much of last season, but was much better in the first half than in the second. It appears that between his age and workload, he just ran out of gas. He allowed a .291 wOBA with a 1.19 WHIP and a 3.04 ERA before the AS break, but those number rose to a .377 wOBA with a 1.65 WHIP and 5.49 ERA after the break. Bello showed promise and it was his first full MLB season, but he’s not there yet. He improved his control (a 6.7% walk rate), but it came at the expense of Ks. He just didn’t miss enough bats (19.8%) and gave up too many HRs (24). He also allowed a 44.3% hard-hit rate which is high but tolerable when you’re carrying a 56.2% GB rate. However, the Red Sox had the worst defensive infield in baseball last season and that’s a problem for a GB pitcher. Bello has the raw stuff to be very good, but he doesn’t have a third pitch to complement his sinker and change. He’s also pitching in a less than ideal home park. Unless Bello’s high monor league Krate suddenly reappears, he’ll continue to be hurt by his high rate of balls in play, especially with the Sox’s shabby defense. His ceiling seems low, but Bello still has the most upside of anyone in this less than stellar rotation.
The Mariners rotation posted a stellar 1.14 WHIP and a 3.89 ERA, which ranked 1st and 4th respectively. There’s a lot to be excited about here. Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby were all outstanding, and 43 combined starts from Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller also helped. Unfortunately, it seemed like the entire rotation tired at the same time. In September, the Mariners rotation collectively posted 1.36 WHIP and a 4.47 ERA.
31-year-old Castillo was acquired at the 2022 trade deadline and inked a five-year extension two months later. In 2023, his first full season with the Mariners, Castillo produced a 14-19 record with 22 of his 33 starts grading as above average and 10 grading as below. He posted a 1.10 WHIP and a 3.34 ERA, with a 219/56 K/BB ratio over a career-high 197 innings. His 27.3% K rate and 7% walk rate both remained stable, but Castillo’s 1.3 HR/9 was his highest since 2018. Kike the rest of the rotation, he struggled to the tune of a 1.56 WHIP and a 4.96 ERA in his six September starts. Castillo’s season ended on a sour note, as he gave up 9 runs in his final two starts, including a 2.2 inning outing against the Rangers that eliminated the Mariners from playoff contention. There were warning signs last season. Despite a career GB rate north of 50%, Castillo saw his GB rate drop to a career-worst 38.9%, while his FB rate jump nearly 9% to 42.4%. A barrel rate of 9.4% and a hard-hit rate of 41.8% were also career worsts. That tells me that we could see some regression for Castillothis season.
Bullpens
Team
|
W
|
L
|
SV
|
BS
|
SV %
|
Rank
|
HLD
|
RIP
|
Rank
|
LOB%
|
Rank
|
WHIP
|
Rank
|
ERA
|
Rank
|
BOS
|
30
|
28
|
43
|
15
|
74.1%
|
1
|
67
|
0.54
|
20
|
71.1%
|
18
|
1.39
|
23
|
4.32
|
20
|
SEA
|
32
|
28
|
44
|
19
|
69.8%
|
6
|
96
|
0.45
|
4
|
74.8%
|
4
|
1.26
|
7
|
3.48
|
4
|
Edge – SEA
The Red Sox used 17 different relief pitchers last season, never a good sign. This unit finished in the bottom third of the league with a 23rd ranked 1.39 WHIP, a 20th ranked 4.32 ERA and 0.54 runs allowed per inning. Yet the Red Sox bring back largely the same cast in 2024. High-leverage situations will again fall to Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin, who were both effective last season. The 36-year-old Jansen has been hampered by both back and lat issues this spring, after appearing in 51 games last season. That was his fewest since 2015, as he dealt with various ailments (back, knee, hamstring), but only a bout with COVID required a trip to the IL. Jansen finished with 29 saves in 33 save opportunities, while posting a career-worst 1.28 WHIP and 3.63 ERA. He increased his velocity, averaging 94.3 mph on his trademark cutter that he threw 78.8% of the time. Still, Jansen is clearly on the downside of his career and could go south at any time. Martin posted a 1.03 WHIP and 1.05 ERA over 51.1 innings as the primary setup man. Beyond those two, all we have is questions.
The Mariners’ bullpen was more than solid last season, ranking 7th with a 1.26 ERA and 4th with a 3.44 ERA and a 0.45 runs allowed per inning. Andres Munoz broke out in 2022 and carried that momentum into 2023. Unfortunately, any hopes of him becoming the Ms’ primary closer were put on hold when the right-hander suffered a shoulder sprain after just a few appearances. Munoz missed two months of action and was limited to setup duties when he returned with Paul Sewald serving as the teaan’s closer. When Sewald was traded, Munoz became the M's closer and finished the season with a career-high 13 save in 16 save opportunities, while posting a 1.27 WHIP, a 2.94 ERA and an impressive 31.8% K rate. His GB rate (59%) spiked after he added a sinker. The emergence of Matt Brash was another positive development. Brash, who settled into a setup role and racked up a career-best 25 holds, 9 wins and 4 saves, was a workhorse for the M’s last season, establishing career-highs in appearances (78) and innings (70.2). He ranked 2nd among qualified relievers with 107 Ks and 8th with a 34.7% K rate and a 25.3% K/BB ratio. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old righty will likely start the season on the 15-day IL, recovering from an elbow injury.
The darkhorse here could be 24-year-old Gregory Santos, who was traded to the M’s in early February. He might be one of the most underrated bullpen arms in the league despite his minimal experience. The hard-throwing right-hander made the White Sox’s opening day bullpen last season. He spent the first two months working in low leverage situations, but his solid body of work, good control and excellent slider earned him higher-leverage opportunities as the season progressed. Santos picked up his first save in early July, then stepped into closing duties after the White Sox unloaded their veteran relievers at the trade deadline. Santos posted five saves before right elbow inflammation ended his season. There’s been some turnover in the Ms pen as well as some injury risk going forward. Justin Topa, who made 75 appearances is gone. Matt Brash has been slowed by injury and Paul Sewald was traded to the Diamondbacks at last season’s trade deadline. Munoz missed time as well and Santos will miss opening day with a lat injury.
Offenses
Team
|
wOBA
|
Rank
|
wRC+
|
Rank
|
ISO
|
Rank
|
BB%
|
Rank
|
SB
|
Rank
|
BsR
|
Rank
|
K%
|
Rank
|
BOS
|
0.324
|
10
|
99
|
16
|
0.166
|
15
|
7.9%
|
24
|
112
|
17
|
-10.6
|
26
|
22.2%
|
12
|
SEA
|
0.319
|
16
|
107
|
7
|
0.170
|
10
|
8.8%
|
12
|
118
|
13
|
-1.6
|
19
|
25.9%
|
29
|
Edge – SEA
The Red Sox finished 10th in runs per game (4.77) and wOBA (.324), but 16th in wRC+ (99) last season, making them just a slightly above-average offense, but there was a huge discrepancy between how their offense performed at Fenway as opposed to on the road. At Fenway, the Sox posted a .344 wOBA (rank #3) and a .107 wRC+ (rank #10). That compares to a .304 wOBA (rank #20) and a 92 wRC+ (rank #17) on the road. According to Statcast’s Park Factors, Fenway ranks as the 2nd best hitting park in beseball, trailing only Coors Field. Fenway is also rated as the best doubles park because of the very high, but very short “Green Monster” in LF. As a result, the Red Sox offense thrives at home, but so do visiting offenses. The point is that Boston’s offensive numbers should be taken with a healthy skepticism, especially away from Fenway. The Red Sox will head into the season with a lot of low-ceiling arms on the roster.
The top of the Red Sox order looks strong. Rookie OF Jarren Duran, the leadoff hitter, posted a .354 wOBA and a 120 wRC+ last season, but while he has good speed (24 SBs) and decent contact quality, expecting him to duplicate those numbers this season might be asking a lot.
3B Raphael Devers, was the Red Sox best hitter last season and one of the best in the league. He posted a .359 wOBA and a 124 wRC+. However, his batting average dropped 24 points despite an almost 6% higher hard-hit rate and a 1.2% higher barrel rate, but he did hit 6 more HRs. I would expect an even better season from Devers in 2024.
I also expect another strong season from 1B Triston Casas, who produced a .367 wOBA, a 129 wRC+, hit 24 HRs and walked nearly 14% of the time.
Coming off two straight injury-riddled seasons, I don’t know what to expect from SS Trevor Story. Story began last season on the IL after undergoing internal bracing surgery on his right elbow. He didn't make his 2023 debut until the first week of August when he took over at SS after playing 2B in 2022. He struggled at the plate, posting a lousy .249 wOBA and 48 wRC+ while striking out 32.7% of the time, his highest K rate since 2017. Story also posted the lowest walk rate of his career, along with his lowest average exit velocity ever, and his lowest hard-hit rate since 2017. He did at least play excellent defense and he can still steal bases, but beyond that it's a crapshoot. At 31, he probably won't ever hit as well as he did in Colorado, but there is a decent chance that Story could still produce his best season since signing with the Red Sox.
Another concern is DH/OF Masataka Yoshida, who went from a .377 wOBA and a 136 wRC+ in the first half to a .285 wOBA and a 73 wRC+ in the second, in his first season with the Red Sox. 24-year-old OF Wilyer Abreu has hit at every level in the minors, but also strikes out a ton, carrying a 27.1% lifetime K rate. The same is true of 23-year -old 2B/SS Vaughn Grissom, who came over from the Braves in the Chris Sale trade with impressive minor league numbers.
The Red Sox offense won’t be awful this season, especially at Fenway, but their ceiling could be lower than what we have come to expect from the Red Sox. That said, if Abreu and Grissom can translate their minor league success to the bigs, the lineup is much deeper and a lot more dangerous.
More hope is on the horizon, as prospects Ceddanne Rafaela, Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, and Miguel Bleis are waiting in the wings with various timelines. Unfortunately, none of them are pitchers.
The Mariners offense averaged a 12th ranked 4.68 runs per game last season with a 16th ranked .319 wOBA and 9th ranked107 wRC+. They also hit an 11th ranked 210 HRs. All that puts them squarely in the middle of the league. To put those numbers in perspective, it should be understood that the Mariners play their home games at T-Mobile Park, a notoriously bad hitter’s venue. As a result, they hit better on the road than at home. On the road the Mariners poster a .328 wOBA and a 108 wRC+, as compared to a 310 wOBA and 105 wRC+ at T- Mobile. Since wRC+is a park adjusted stat, I did not expect to see a big discrepancy there.
However, the Mariners also posted a very high 25.9% K rate and that hurt. Only the Twins were worse last season. That’s a big part of why they were willing to part ways with Mike Ford, Jarred Kelenic, Teoscar Hernandez, and Eugenio Suarez. Collectively, while those four accounted for 75 HRs and every one of them posted a wRC of over 100, all posted K rates north of 30% and the Mariners are looking for more contact and less Ks this season.
The engine that powers the Mariners’ offense is 28-year-old OF Julio Rodriguez. J-Rod is an elite player, who posted a .347 wOBA and a 161 wRC+ over 155 games last season with 32 HRs, 103 RBIs and 102 runs scored. He also swiped 37 bases.
Rodrigues got help from 29-yeaar-old SS JP Crawford, who contributed a career-high .359 wOBA and 134 wRC+with 9 HRs, 65 RBI and94 runs scored, but his 36.2% hard hit rate and his 4.8% barrel rate were well below league average and that tells me that he’s more likely to be around a league average bat. I expect Crawford to regress this season.
27-year-old C Cal Raleigh also contributed a .326 wOBA and 111 wRC+ with 30 HRs, 75 RBIs and 78 runs scored in 145 games last season.
The Mariners are also hoping that players like OF/DH Dominic Canzone and 2B Josh Rojas step un. The 26-year-old Canzone arrived in a trade with the Diamondbacks last season and put in time in the corner OF and DH spots, but he limped to a .282 wOBA and 79 wRC+. However, Canzone was a stellar hitter in the minors and only struck out 17% of the time with Mariners, lending some credence to those who believe that he could be on the verge of a big season now that he has some experience against big-league arms under his belt.
The 29-year-old Rojas produced a solid .315 wOBA and 104 wRC+ over 46 games after being acquired in a trade with the Diamondbacks last season, and appears set to primarily split time with Luis Urias at 3B while also occasionally filling in at 2B this season.OF
The Mariners reunited with OF Mitch Haniger and also added Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver.
The 33-yeart-old Hanniger has played a full season just once since 2018 and appeared in only 61 games with the Giants in 2023 because of oblique, forearm and back injuries.
The30-year-old Jorge Polanco, who also missed significant time last season with ankle, knee and hamstring injuries, still posted a .344 wOBA and 118 wRC+ over 80 games with the Twins. Polanco has decent power for a middle infielder and good command of the strike zone, so he can still be productive when healthy. However, he’s missed significant time in each of the last two seasons.
The 33-year-old Garver rebounded from an injury-riddled 2022 season, posting a .374 wOBA and 138 wRC+last seaon over 87 games, but missed just over one-third of the season after hurting his knee in early April. leagues. He will serve as Cal Raleigh's backup at C and as the Mariners' primary DH.
The problem with these additions is that the Mariners are gambling on them staying healthy. They’re all in their 30s. Garver has only played in 209 games over the last three seasons. Polanco has missed significant time in each of the last two seasons and Haniger has only played 118 games over the last two seasons.
Conclusion: While these two offenses aren’t all that far apart, the pitching staffs are. The Mariner’s pitching is much better. I this game Castillo has exhibited a few warning signs and that is a cocern, but Bello wasn’t exactly lights out either. Again, I’m lust betting on the better team and I think that it’s the Mariners.
Pick – SEA ML in a straight ML bet
That leaves one game for tomorrow, COL @ ARIZ. Be back tomorrow morning.
BOL