Seattle Mariners Have An Opportunity to Prove Their Mettle

So, yea. The Mariners hopes are verging on none for the playoffs. Having lost 11 of their last 16 games, they have done themselves no favors in getting to play in October.

For any chance, though, they have to go out and win this one tonight.

Game Details:

Seattle Mariners: 83-74.

Toronto Blue Jays: 80-77.

Game time: 4:07 PM Pacific. Location: Toronto, Canada. Rogers Centre

MATCHUPS:

Seattle Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker (2-2, 3.00 ERA) v. Toronto Blue Jays RHP Mark Buehrle (12-10, 3.53 ERA)

Edge? Buehrle.

Buehrle has been consistent all season, even if his second half numbers have dropped a bit. Walker’s numbers are good, but most of his games have been against the Astros and his sample size is far too small to get a real indication. The Jays may elect to be patient with him, after they walked 3 times in one inning against Felix Hernandez last night.

Lineups:

Mariners:

Austin Jackson 8

Dustin Ackley 7

Robinson Cano 4

Kendrys Morales 3

Kyle Seager 5

Logan Morrison 9

Corey Hart DH

Mike Zunino 2

Chris Taylor 6

Of note: it was the offense and the pitching last night. The M’s had only 2 runs on 6 hits, which MAY have been enough to win had the King been on his game. But he wasn’t, and like so often this season, neither was the offense.

Blue Jays:

Jose Reyes 6

Jose Bautista 9

Edwin Encarnacion DH

Adam Lind 3

Dioner Navarro 2

Dalton Pompey 7

Munenori Kawasaki 5

Anthony Gose 8

Ryan Goins 4

Of Note: the Blue Jays offense has wrecked the Mariners pitching while driving them further into the ground. They’ve scored 24 runs in the first 2 games of this season, making the margin for error thinner and thinner for the M’s.

Final Thoughts:

They’ve all been must-wins since the start of September, but if the M’s lose tonight their mathematical odds of making the playoffs become minimal. Unfortunately, this team doesn’t look to have that spine they need to fight back and make the playoffs. I hope I am wrong, but it remains to be seen what the M’s can do tonight with their season on the line.

Score Prediction:

Mariners 2, Blue Jays 4.