First pitch is 6:40 PM PT, and the pitching matchup is a mismatch on paper. Troy Melton takes the ball for Detroit sporting a 1.75 ERA and a 6-1 record, while Emerson Hancock brings a shakier 3.26 ERA and a rough final line against the Dodgers into his last time out.
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Total
Tigers(54-58)
WWWLW
8
Mariners(55-58)
WWLLL
0
Best BetMariners -124
Pregame
Seattle's the shorter price here, and that's mostly about Melton overshadowing a lineup that's still finding its footing. The Mariners are banged up at shortstop and in the outfield, but home cooking and a healthier top of the order should be enough to get past a Hancock start that's more question mark than sure thing.
Melton's emergence has been one of the low-key stories of the Tigers' season. A rookie who didn't debut until late May after an elbow issue delayed his year, he posted a 0.92 ERA in July with a 35:12 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and his fastball now sits in the mid-90s. Hancock, meanwhile, is trying to bounce back from a 5-inning, 8-hit outing against Los Angeles, and he's doing it with a Mariners lineup that's without J.P. Crawford (left wrist) and almost certainly without Luke Raley, who's dealing with a forearm strain that's expected to end his season.
Troy Melton
(7-1)·1.71 ERA
Jul 28 vs Orioles
W
7.0IP
0ER
5K
2BB
92P
08/04 Lineup
Emerson Hancock
(7-7)·3.30 ERA
Jul 29 @ Dodgers
L
5.0IP
3ER
5K
1BB
92P
08/04 Lineup
Neither team is exactly whole right now. Detroit's bullpen took a hit when a key reliever went down for the year, and both Jack Flaherty and Reese Olson are out of the rotation mix, one on the IL and the other done for the season. Seattle's issues are more top-of-the-lineup: losing Crawford and Raley for stretches leaves Randy Arozarena carrying a heavier load, and Brendan Donovan's groin strain has been lingering as well.
Detroit Tigers
(54-58)
Aug 2W@ Athletics11-0
Aug 2W@ Athletics8-6
Aug 1W@ Athletics13-1
Jul 29Lvs Orioles9-10
Jul 28Wvs Orioles14-0
Seattle Mariners
(55-58)
Aug 2Wvs Twins7-6
Aug 1Wvs Twins4-3
Aug 1Lvs Twins3-5
Jul 31L@ Dodgers2-6
Jul 30L@ Dodgers2-4
The form gap is the headline here. Detroit has won 4 of its last 5, including a pair of double-digit blowouts against the Athletics, and looks like a team that's finally figuring out how to hit. Seattle dropped 3 straight to the Dodgers and Twins before clawing back a couple of one-run wins, which is more survival mode than surge.
Detroit Tigers
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries to report
Seattle Mariners
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries to report
Kevin McGonigle has quietly been Detroit's best hitter, working a .287 average with pop, and if the Tigers keep hitting like they have the last week, Melton's night on the mound could be the difference between a series statement and just another road loss. Seattle still has the better record and the better park to lean on, but this is a Mariners team playing shorthanded against a club that's rolling.
