The New York Yankees are hosting the Seattle Mariners for a three game series this week at Yankee Stadium. Game two of the series will take place on Wednesday night. This series could be a potential playoff preview, as both teams would make the playoffs if the season ended today. The Yankees will be looking to defeat the Mariners in the second consecutive night, after beating them 7-2 in the series opener.
After briefly taking the lead in the American League West, the Mariners are now in second place behind the defending World Series Champion, Houston Astros. The New York Yankees are atop the American League East standings, but can’t seem to get any separation from the Boston Red Sox. The New York Yankees are -180 over the Seattle Mariners in game two of the series.
King Felix to Start for Mariners
Felix Hernandez will make the start for the Mariners on Wednesday night. King Felix is starting to show signs of slowing down, and has had just a mediocre start to the 2018 season. Hernandez is 6-6, but sports a 5.44 ERA. If the Mariners are going to make a run at the playoffs, they will need King Felix to pitch better for them in the second half of the season.
Shortstop Jean Segura leads a very balanced Mariners offensive attack. Segura ranks second in the American League in batting average with a .340 batting average coming into the series. The Mariners are still without Robinson Cano, who is serving an 80 game suspension for the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs. Seattle hopes to score some runs to match the Yankees vaunted offense.
Yankees Offense Continues to Mash
The New York Yankees feature one of the most feared offensive lineups in Major League baseball. The Yankees already have five different players who have at least 13 home runs on the season. Aaron Judge leads the team with 18 home runs and has also knocked in a team high 46 runs. The Yankees will look to continue their offensive assault against Mariners’ Hernandez.
Jonathan Loaisiga will be making his second career start on Wednesday night. Loaisiga was impressive in his season debut, pitching five shutout innings to earn a win against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 23 year old appears to be a future mainstay in the Yankees rotation, but faces a tough test on Wednesday night.
Yankees Beat Mariners Again
The Seattle Mariners are one of the biggest surprises in baseball this season, but they appear to be a legitimate playoff contender. If King Felix can get going on the mound, the Mariners could be a serious threat to the Houston Astros. The Mariners will try to bounce back against the Yankees on Wednesday night.
The Yankees offense continues to lead them to victories, and they continue to hit homeruns at a very high rate. New York faces a tough test against Hernandez on Wednesday, but their lineup is talented enough to find a way to score some runs. Look for the Yankees to win their second straight game over the Mariners. Bet the New York Yankees -180 over the Mariners in game two of the series.
