Three reasons why Toronto is a good matchup for Seattle
Three reasons why Toronto is a good matchup for Seattle
On Tuesday night it became official, Seattle will travel to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays in the playoffs. Here are three reasons to be optimistic.
While watching Mitch Haniger and Julio Rodríguez launch baseballs in the first inning against Detroit, I decided to take a look at the Mariners’ strengths and some reasons why I believe they match up well with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays have earned the first Wild Card while navigating a tough AL East. They also have an earth-shaking stadium and a thunderous lineup that would scare many teams. However, Seattle has three key advantages that could have a huge impact starting on Friday night. Let’s take a look.
1. Luis Castillo
The Mariner ace has been fantastic since he was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in early August. Castillo is a right-handed power arm, which is one way to beat the Toronto Blue Jays. His power sinker and changeup combination could help keep the ball on the ground and out of the air.
The biggest advantage for the Mariners is that Toronto should not be as familiar with Castillo, although they saw him on May 20. Castillo dominating a right-handed heavy lineup is the Mariners’ most significant advantage if he is on his game. Winning the first game of the series is the most important thing you can do, and Seattle has an ace up its sleeve.
2. Los Bomberos
Seattle’s bullpen nicknamed “Los Bomberos” is a massive advantage compared to the Blue Jays. The ERA for the Mariner bullpen is 3.34, compared to the 3.80 of Toronto. While Jordan Romano, Zach Pop, and Adam Cimber lead the charge, there is a significant drop-off that follows them.
The back end of the Seattle pen is just as good if not better, and it is deep. Seattle will be able to use their heavily right-handed bullpen to their advantage against this lineup, giving them an advantage in high-leverage situations. This has been the strength of the ball club all season long, and we should see that continue. Expect to see Andrés Muñoz and Paul Sewald early and often if needed.
3. Defense
The Mariners have one of the best run-prevention teams in baseball, consistently ranking in the top 10 depending on where you look. Run prevention is going to be important against a team like Toronto who can put up runs in a hurry.
Jesse Winker will be exchanged for Jarred Kelenic, which will help out the Mariners tremendously. Winker who was a nightmare in left field all season was placed on the IL on Wednesday.
Impact pitching and defense are needed in October, and Seattle brings both to the table.