Seattle Mariners vs Toronto Blue Jays

Seattle Mariners

After securing consecutive wins with Castillo's great pitch, the Seattle Mariners will have Emerson Hancock (3 wins, 3 losses, 4.79 ERA) make his MLB comeback. After his injury return game on June 14 against the White Sox at home, where he pitched 7 innings and allowed 2 runs but was immediately sent back to AAA, Hancock has been unable to find a spot due to lack of opportunities. With a home game ERA of 2.89, he is certainly strong at home, but resolving his difficulties with daytime games will be crucial. Seattle's lineup, which scored 2 runs against Gausman in the previous game, still struggles in home games. The fact that the game's outcome heavily relies on hitting home runs remains unchanged. The bullpen, which erased 2.1 innings, won't be able to use all three of its winning pitchers in this game, which is a significant handicap.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays, whose batting slump has led to three consecutive losses, will have Yariell Rodriguez (3 losses, 4.63 ERA) attempt to secure his first win again. Despite pitching 6.2 innings, allowing 2 hits and 1 run, and taking a loss in the home game against Houston on the 2nd, Rodriguez should find solace in having delivered his best performance since his debut. While his overall performance on the road this season hasn't been great, his daytime game ERA of 1.74 and batting average against of .171 suggests he should capitalize on his strength in day games. With just 2 hits to show, Toronto's lineup was thoroughly shut down from the start of their away game against Luis Castillo, where Kevin Kiermaier's solo home run in the top of the 6th inning was their only score. Being stifled by Castillo implies that they are likely to struggle throughout the series. Fortunately, the bullpen managed to pitch 2 innings without conceding a run.

Prediction & Analysis

Seattle's hitting remains far from impressive in home games. It seems difficult to target Rodriguez, who is strong in daytime games. However, Hancock is also a strong pitcher at home, and considering yesterday's batting, Toronto's lineup is unlikely to come alive easily. Ultimately, it will be a battle of the bullpens. Though Seattle may have difficulty deploying its winning pitchers in this game, Toronto's bullpen is fundamentally weak, which will likely determine the outcome. Seattle Mariners, leading late in the game, are closer to victory.

Expected Score

Seattle wins 4:3

Handicap & Over/Under

Handicap: Toronto wins

Over/Under: Under

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