This weekend brings an interleague series to Queens as the NL East-leading New York Mets (22-11) play a rare series against the Seattle Mariners (14-18). The Mariners got off to a good start this season, but they are 2-8 in their last ten games, struggling as they head east. The series begins at 7:10 p.m. ET at Citi Field, televised regionally in both markets.
The Mets send ace RHP Max Scherzer (4-1, 2.92) to the mound against Mariners LHP Marco Gonzales (1-4, 3.91). These teams haven’t played since 2017, and the Mariners haven’t been to Queen since 2008. Seattle holds an all-time lead of 10-5 though the Mets are 4-3 in the last seven meetings.
Seattle Reeling into New York
The Mariners are 5-11 on the road this season and 12-11 against RHP. They are 2-4 against NL teams this season, including a series loss at home this week to Philadelphia. Seattle started the season 11-6, but they are just 3-12 since April 26.
J.P. Crawford leads Seattle in hitting at .333, with Ty France at .325. Eugenio Suarez leads the team with six homers, one more than France and two ahead of Crawford and Abraham Toro. France leads the squad with 24 RBI, and Suarez has 18.
Suarez is batting just .202 on the season, with Suarez at .204 and Toro at .150. Mitch Haniger is back on the IL, and top prospect Jarred Kelenic was sent to Triple-A with a .140 average.
Gonzales has made six starts this season, striking out 17 and walking 10 in 25 ⅓ innings. He allowed two runs on six hits in 5 ⅓ innings against Tampa Bay on Saturday and has gone at least five innings in three starts this season.
Gonzales has never faced the Mets, but he has faced four hitters he’s likely to see on Friday. Starling Marte is 2-for-5 with a homer against the lefty, while Francisco Lindor is 1-for-3. James McCann is 0-for-5, and Mark Canha is batting .182 in 33 at-bats with three RBI.
Canha, Alonso Leading Mets
The Mets knocked off Washington Thursday afternoon to win another series. They are 9-5 at home this season and 4-4 against lefties. This will be their first series of the season against an American League team.
Canha homered and drove in three on Thursday, collecting three hits. Pete Alonso also homered in the series at Washington and leads the team with eight on the season.
Jeff McNeil leads New York with a .321 average while Canha is hitting .313 and Brandon Nimmo is at .290. Alonso has 28 RBI to go with his eight home runs, and Marte has driven in 20.
Scherzer has gone at least six innings in five of his six starts this season, and he’s struck out at least six batters in every start. Last time out, he struck out seven and allowed three runs over six innings in a loss at Philadelphia on Sunday. Scherzer hasn’t faced Seattle since he pitched for Detroit in 2014, and he hasn’t won against the Mariners since 2011.
Scherzer has only faced four players on the Mariners roster. Adam Frazier is batting .350 in 20 at-bats with a home run and two RBI. Suarez is 2-for-16 with two homers, while Winker is 0-for-7 and Crawford is 1-for-3.
Betting Analysis
- Seattle Mariners +1.5 (-120) Moneyline +165
- New York Mets -1.5 (+100) Moneyline -225
- Total Runs: 7 Over -105, Under -115
This is a mismatch on paper as the Mets have the better offense and have their ace on the mound. Seattle has struggled with their average at .230, and they strike out more than eight times a game, not a good recipe against Scherzer and the Mets bullpen. New York is 8-2 in the first game of a series and 5-1 in Scherzer’s starts.
Betting Pick: Mets -1.5 (+100)
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