Mariners Game Preview: Premier Pitching Matchup in Scottsdale

Hisashi Iwakuma and Jeff Samardzija will be pitching today when the Mariners and Giants do battle in Scottsdale

The Seattle Mariners (5-4) are in Scottsdale, AZ today playing the San Francisco Giants (5-5). First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 pm PT from Scottsdale Stadium. Hisashi Iwakuma (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will be on the bump for the Mariners, and Jeff Samardzija (0-0, 3.60 ERA) will get the ball for the Giants.

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Friday’s outing will be Iwakuma’s second of the spring. The 34-year-old right-hander hurled a pair of spotless innings last week against the Texas Rangers en route to earning the win for Seattle. Kuma had a very interesting season in 2015, filled with intense highs and equally disappointing lows. He posted a 7.17 ERA through his first four starts last year, but also pitched a no-hitter on August 12 against the Baltimore Orioles. Iwakuma finished with a 9-5 record and a 3.54 ERA across 20 appearances in 2015. Today will be a good test for the M’s number two pitcher.

The Giants signed Samardzija to a five-year contract worth $90 million dollars this offseason. The 31-year-old right-hander spent the 2015 season in the Windy City with the White Sox. He went 11-13 with a 4.96 ERA through 32 outings in his only season with the Sox. Today will be his third Cactus League start with San Fran. Samardzija has fared reasonably well thus far, posting a 3.60 ERA with 5 strikeouts in 5 innings this spring. It will be interesting to see how he does against a Seattle team that hung 6 runs on Jon Lester yesterday.

Mariners skipper Scott Servais and Giants boss Bruce Bochy have released the following lineups for today’s contest:

Stefen Romero is in the M’s starting nine for the second consecutive game. The Oregon State alum led the way offensively yesterday, going 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI against the Chicago Cubs. Romero is hitting .571 this spring with 1 home run and 6 RBI across 7 games. He is the Mariners most dangerous hitter right now, and he is making a strong case to open the season in Seattle.

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Shawn O’Malley is another player to watch this afternoon for the Mariners. The 28-year-old Southridge, WA native will hit 9th and play second base today. He is hitting .462 with 1 RBI and 4 stolen bases through 8 games this spring. Most impressive of all, he has posted a .563 on base percentage in 13 at bats. O’Malley is fighting for the M’s utility infielder gig, and he has a good chance of making the opening day roster if he continues to be productive in the desert.

Today’s game will unfortunately not be televised. However, M’s fans in the Pacific Northwest will be able to listen on the radio at 710 ESPN. Radio broadcasts require the use of imagination, but it is always rewarding to listen to Rick Rizzs calling a game.

Next: Mariners Position Battle Update: First Base

Make sure you follow SoDo Mojo on twitter, as we will be providing live updates throughout the game. Also, check back after the final out has been recorded for a full recap. Go Mariners!