Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you're geared up for tonight's duel between Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. It's a clash taking place on the neutral grounds of Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas - a venue that neither favors the batters nor the pitchers. A classic coin flip, if you would.
In the ring for the Mariners, we've got George Kirby. With a season track record of 3.93 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and more than eight strikeouts per nine innings over thirty-one appearances, he's shown he's not afraid to wipe away a few batters.
But wait! The Rangers are sending in their knight, Jacob deGrom, holding a pristine record this season albeit over just one appearance. Remember that stellar run last year? That 2.755 ERA and 0.782 WHIP over six appearances could very well spell trouble for the Mariners tonight.
Amongst the big hitters out for the Mariners, Turner, Raley, and Rodriguez are all bringing their A-games, boasting impressive numbers on batting averages and RBIs. However, the Rangers are not short of their own heavy hitters - Lowe, Langford, and Semien have numbers that might make any pitchers perform a double-take.
If we take a step back and assess the previous encounters, it's evident that both teams had their share of ups and downs. Interestingly, the Mariners had a bit of an edge scoring a set of stunning victories.
Surveying the regular season records, the Mariners appear to be running on a slightly stronger steam with a five-win advantage over the Rangers. Let's not forget though, both teams have had their recent run-ins with a mixed bag of results.
Taking all these into account, my crystal ball predicts a Mariners' victory. But hey, what do I know? It's just a talking baseball, after all.
Albert’s Prediction: Seattle Mariners by 2