The Los Angeles Angels (44-44, 18-24 away) and Seattle Mariners (48-42, 19-19) end the first half of the regular season with an American League battle against each other. A win for the Mariners gives Seattle a series sweep over the American League rival.
Sunday’s series finale is penciled for a 4:10 p.m. EST first pitch inside T-Mobile Park in Seattle, WA. The betting favorite is the Seattle Mariners (-110), and the run total is at 8.5.
What to Know – Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles enters the final game of the first half of the season, sitting at .500 on the year. The Angels have treaded water for most of the first few months of the season while playing without star Mike Trout through most of it. Los Angeles is fourth in the AL West standings, nine games behind the leading Houston Astros.
Lefty Jose Suarez (3-2, 2.37 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) makes his final start of the first half for the visiting Angels. Suarez hasn’t pitched over 5.1 innings this season and has been used primarily out of the bullpen this year. The 23-year old fired 3.0 innings in his last start, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks, picking up his second loss of the season.
The Angels’ offense ranks fifth in the majors and fifth in the AL with a .256 team batting average. This season all eyes are on All-Star two-way player Shohei Ohtani who leads the league with 33 home runs and sits in third with 70 runs driven in. Along with Ohtani, first baseman Jared Walsh (22 home runs, 64 RBIs) makes his first appearance in the Mid-Summer Classic next week.
What to Know – Seattle Mariners
Seattle tries to win their fourth in a row and head into the break with some momentum as they gear up for the second-half push. The Mariners have owned Los Angeles this season with a 6-3 record against the Halos. Seattle is three games ahead of the Angels in the division, six games back of first.
The Mariners counter on the mound with a southpaw of their own as Hector Santiago (1-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.41 WHIP) makes a spot-start. The 33-year old veteran arm makes his first start of the season Sunday after appearing in 11 games this year out of the bullpen. Santiago threw 3.1 innings the last time on the mound, surrendering three earned runs behind seven hits.
Seattle sits at the bottom of Major League Baseball with a team batting average of .217. The Mariners lineup is highlighted by outfielder Mitch Haniger (20 home runs, 52 RBIs) and Kyle Seager (16 home runs, 50 RBIs). Seattle is one of just a few teams with no players representing the franchise at the All-Star Game.
Game Prediction
The game before a break is always difficult to predict because some teams elect to rest certain players to give them an extra day of rest as we enter the break. Seattle has been tough to take down at home, but the Angels take this one to head into the second half on a high note.
The Pick: Los Angeles Angels ML
