The Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals conclude their weekend interleague series on Sunday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Both teams are fighting to keep their playoff aspirations alive, sitting in second place in their respective divisions while trailing the three wildcard leaders. The anticipated pitching duel features two seasoned right-handers: Luis Castillo (11-12, 3.60) for the Mariners against Miles Mikolas (8-10, 5.27) of the Cardinals. The game is set to start at 2:15 pm EST.
Mariners Seek Momentum with Castillo on the Mound
The Seattle Mariners are facing a challenging second half of the season and are in a race against time with fewer than 20 games remaining. Arriving in St. Louis after a mixed bag against the Oakland A’s, the Mariners managed to split a four-game series, with a strong 6-1 performance in Friday’s opener. However, they faltered in Saturday’s contest, losing 2-0 and managing only five hits while striking out 13 times. This disappointing performance overshadowed a solid outing from starter Logan Gilbert, who fanned ten batters.
Seattle will turn to the powerful arm of Luis Castillo in the series finale. This season, Castillo has made 29 starts, securing 18 quality outings and holding an overall record of 11-12. With an ERA of 3.60 and a WHIP of 1.15, he has allowed 153 hits over 172.1 innings pitched. His strikeout numbers stand at 172, but he has also surrendered 25 home runs. In his latest appearance, Castillo threw seven innings in a narrow 3-2 loss to the A’s, giving up four hits and two runs while striking out five batters.
Key Injuries: SP Taylor Dollard, RP Yimi Garcia, RP Jackson Kowar, and LF Sam Haggerty are sidelined.
Cardinals Rely on Mikolas in Series Finale
The St. Louis Cardinals are grappling with dwindling chances for another NL Central Division title, as they find themselves nearly ten games behind with fewer than 20 games left. Their recent series against the Brewers was pivotal, but they managed only two wins out of three, and a sweep was crucial for their playoff hopes. The Cardinals opened their series against Seattle with a 6-1 loss but rebounded on Saturday, thanks to Pedro Pages’ game-winning two-run homer in the eighth, leading to a 2-0 victory.
In the series finale, the Cardinals will place their trust in veteran Miles Mikolas. Coming into this matchup, Mikolas has an 8-10 record over 28 games, including 14 quality starts. His ERA stands at 5.27 with a WHIP of 1.27, having allowed 171 hits across 153.2 innings. He has struck out 107 batters while walking 24, but has also given up 22 home runs this season. In his most recent outing, Mikolas struggled against the Yankees, surrendering seven hits and five runs in just four innings during a high-scoring 14-7 victory.
Key Injuries: RP Riley O’Brien, SP Tekoah Roby, SP Lance Lynn, and SP Drew Rom are out.
Best Bets for Mariners vs. Cardinals
This matchup presents a challenge, as both teams appear to be running low on energy and facing the likelihood of another season without playoffs. However, the Mariners, with their slim hopes, are expected to show more urgency. With Castillo on the mound, who has dominated with 172 strikeouts in 172.1 innings, Seattle has emerged victorious in three of his last five starts. In contrast, Mikolas has struggled with just 107 strikeouts in 153.2 innings and has allowed 171 hits, indicating that the ball will be in play frequently. Given these factors, the Mariners seem poised to close the series on a high note.
Consider placing a bet on Seattle with the money line.
