Well, strap in folks... er, I mean, ladies and gents—we have an enticing game on deck. The Seattle Mariners are set to lock horns with the St. Louis Cardinals on the Cardinals' home turf at the traditionally pitcher-friendly Busch Stadium.
The M's send Logan Gilbert to the mound, boasting a solid ERA of 3.29 and a neat WHIP of 0.92. On the opposite side, the Cards counter with Kyle Gibson whose stats make you feel like you're on a slightly more turbulent flight -- 4.44 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. Seems like Gilbert has been painting the corners with a finer brush this season.
The Mariners come with their lineup's big guns. Luke Raley and Victor Robles look firm, batting at 0.286 and 0.267, respectively. Robles has those quick feet, nabbing nine bags thus far. Don't you just love those speedsters? Cal Raleigh may be batting at 0.198, but remember this guy can still pack a punch with his 22 RBIs.
The Cardinals host some runners of their own. Paul Goldschmidt tops the Cards' batting with a 0.313 average, while Pedro Pages and Nolan Arenado have contributed on par. Look at these guys, Keeps the opposition on their toes, I'll tell ya.
In the recent memory, Seattle seems to have a slight edge over St. Louis, taking it to them in their last encounter at Busch. The season records though, couldn't be more neck and neck. Both teams are just about sailing that .500 ship, a true scuffle of the middlers.
The past winds suggest a favorable breeze for the Mariners. Their recent stumble at Oakland was a bump, but they picked themselves up and brushed off the dirt real quick with big wins over Oakland and St. Louis. Cardinals, on the other hand, have taken a hit in their recent games, but have managed to hit back hard with wins over Milwaukee and a good ol' thumping of New York.
Look at these teams, just battling it out like a couple of sleep-deprived honey badgers fighting over a morsel. So, who am I picking in this scrapple? Well..
Albert’s Prediction: Seattle Mariners by 2