Yankees at Mariners Preview: Big Bats vs. Power Arms

Go West, Old Yankees! That is where New York is heading for nine games after a 4-2 homestand. The first stop on the West Coast trip is the Seattle Mariners. Before the season began, you might have looked at this matchup and wondered if Felix Hernandez was going to be a Yankee or close to it by then. Well, Hernandez will be pitching against the Bombers on Saturday and Seattle is right in the thick of things in the AL West. Even though the bats just are not there for the Mariners, their arms are there and it starts with young rookie of the year candidate Michael Pineda.

How are the Mariners even in contention when they are ranked in the bottom of the league in almost every hitting category? Well, despite the fact they are 28^th in hitting (.232) and 26^th in runs (173), their pitching has carried them through. Over their last eight games, their pitching staff under Eric Wedge has a team ERA of 1.63, three shutouts, and averages eight strikeouts per nine innings. The Yankees’ bats, which found themselves in the final two games of the Blue Jays’ series, will be tested a ton this series, as well as this whole West Coast trip.

Pitching Matchups

Friday, 10:10, YES: A.J Burnett (5-3, 4.02 ERA) vs. Michael Pineda (6-2, 2.16)

Saturday, 10:10, YES: Ivan Nova (4-3, 4.29) vs. Felix Hernandez (5-4, 3.01)

Sunday, 4:10, YES: CC Sabathia (5-3, 3.17) vs. Jason Vargas (3-2, 3.86)