Bryan Armetta offers up a preview, prediction and pick for Saturday’s MLB game between the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Guardians.
In most years, teams hovering around .500 would be pondering whether to buy or sell at the trade deadline. That’s not the case this season in the wide-open American League.
Look no further than the Mariners (42-41) and Guardians (42-40). Despite an up and down first half, both clubs would make the playoffs if the season ended today. That gives Saturday’s contest an added dose of intrigue. In what could be a postseason preview, which of these clubs has the edge tonight?
The Mariners are favorites (-148) over the Guardians, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs. Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for Saturday’s showdown between Seattle and Cleveland on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Few pitchers on Earth are hotter than Logan Gilbert right now. The former All-Star has been borderline unhittable during the month of June. Over his last five outings, the right-hander has surrendered just six earned runs (1.76 ERA). During that stretch, he’s also managed to put up a minuscule 0.82 WHIP. Gilbert ranks within the top 80th percentile in whiff rate (30.2%), strikeout rate (27.2%) and walk rate (6.0%). That combination of elite stuff and exceptional command makes the 29-year-old an underrated ace.
Seattle’s starter is probably looking forward to Saturday’s matchup. The Guardians have been below average all season at the dish. That’s especially true right now with face of the franchise Jose Ramirez (hand) sidelined. They’ve scored just 321 runs so far, worst in the American League. In addition, Cleveland is 28th in batting average (.227), 24th in on-base percentage (.311) and 28th in OPS (.675). The Guards have only scored 32 runs over their previous ten contests, third-worst in the majors during that stretch.
Opposing the Mariners will be Slade Cecconi, taking the hill for his 17th start. The fourth-year pro is by no means an ace, but he’s a decent back-end starter for the Guardians. Through 84.1 innings, the righty has posted a 4.48 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 66 strikeouts (7.0 K/9). However, unlike Gilbert, Cecconi has outperformed his peripherals so far. A 27.0% chase rate, 21.0% whiff rate and 18.2% strikeout rate are all below the 25th percentile. He’s also had trouble with the long ball, accounting for a career 1.6 HR/9 ratio.
Seattle has struggled for most of the season at the plate, especially superstar catcher Cal Raleigh. With that being said, this group does one thing well: home runs. The M’s have smacked 101 dingers this season, tenth-most in baseball. As previously mentioned, Cecconi has had difficulty with homers in the past. It’s also worth mentioning that the Mariners have a much better OPS against righties (.728) than lefties (.614). When Cecconi last faced Seattle, he coughed up six runs in 4.1 innings of work.
This bet is mainly about Gilbert, who has been operating on another level in recent weeks. Cleveland’s offense, even if Ramirez was healthy, stands little chance against the All-Star. However, Seattle’s subpar offense might be able to hammer a ball or two vs. Cecconi tonight. Back the visitors in this one.
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