Taijuan Walker (2-2, 1.97 ERA) takes the hill for the Seattle Mariners (20-13) as they square off against Chris Archer (2-4, 4.23 ERA) and the Tampa Bay Rays (15-16) in the last of a three-game series at Safeco Field. The Mariners won the last game 6-4, and Seattle leads the series 2-0. Action begins at 3:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May. 11 and can be seen on RTNW.
Walker pitched 2.0 innings in his most recent start, surrendering three in a 6-3 defeat to the Astros. Robinson Cano (.307, 21 Rs, 12 HRs, 33 RBIs) had another good game yesterday, going 2 for 4 with one run. Archer went 6.0 innings, surrendering zero runs, striking out six and walking two in a 5-2 win over the Angels in his last outing. Steven Souza Jr. (.265, 14 Rs, 8 HRs, 15 RBIs, 1 SB) went 1 for 4 yesterday with one run, one home run, and one RBI.
The odds for Seattle and Tampa Bay are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable as of now. The Mariners have seen an uptick in scoring as of late, averaging 0.0 runs during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 0.0 runs per game. Opposing batters know they’re in for a battle when they play Seattle. The Mariners are one of the top teams when it comes to pitching, allowing just 0.0 runs per game. The Mariners are the fourth-best team in the league at limiting hits and walks to their opponents, recording a WHIP of 1.152 so far this season.
Offensively, the Rays have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 0.0 runs per game by averaging 0.0 during that stretch. Tampa Bay is excellent at making contact with just 9.4 strikeouts per game, ranking third in the AL. The Rays allow 0.0 runs per game, but have improved upon those numbers in the past 10 games, allowing 0.0 runs per game during that span. When it comes to preventing batters from getting on base, the Rays are one of the best in the league with a WHIP of 1.162 for the season.
The Mariners have the edge in the season series, 2-0.
Predictions: SU Winner – SEA
Notes
The Mariners are coming off of a hot pitching game where they recorded 12 strikeouts. The Rays have a record of 3-3 when they are struck out that many times or more.
It looks like the Mariners have a slight leg up on the Rays, as the Mariners have won their last two games while the Rays have lost their last two.
When they outhit their opponents, the Rays are 10-3. The Mariners have a 16-3 record when outhitting opponents.
Ranking 28th, Tampa Bay sits near the bottom of the league in runs, scoring 108 this season. Seattle ranks in the top half at 11th with 146.
Ranking 26th, Tampa Bay is near the bottom of the league in walks, notching 83 this season. Seattle ranks in the top half at 12th with 106.
The Mariners are 17-8 in games where they hit one or more home runs. The Rays are 13-11 when they hit at least one homer.
