The Angels are in, but the Mariners are not.
With a win over Seattle on Wednesday, coupled with an Oakland loss, the Angels clinched their first division title since 2009 and punched their ticket to the American League Division Series. The Mariners, though, sit two games back of both Oakland and Kansas City for the AL Wild Card.
Seattle hasn't made the playoffs since 2001 and it hopes an Opening Day rematch can yield the same results.
The Mariners will send Felix Hernandez to the mound and the Angels will start Wade LeBlanc, subbing for the scratched Jered Weaver for the Angels.
"It's not different," Hernandez said of the playoff stretch run. "It's fun. You're fighting for one spot in the Wild Card and we're enjoying playing."
Hernandez, who has faced the Angels 38 times in his career, will try to bring the Mariners to the postseason for the first time since 2001. He is 10-13 with a 3.69 ERA against the Angels, including 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA in three starts this season.
Hernandez is contending for the second AL Cy Young Award of his career with a 14-5 record and 2.14 ERA. He ranks first in the AL in WHIP (0.92) and quality starts (26), second in ERA and innings (219), third in opponent's batting average (.202) and fourth in strikeouts (225).
No comments:
Post a Comment