Washington (41-82) at Seattle (66-56)
When: Tuesday, August 23rd 2022
Where: T-Mobile Park,
Seattle, WA
Time: 10:10 ET | TV: MLB.tv
Opening Odds: Seattle -250/7.5
The Seattle Mariners are looking to end their 20-year postseason drought and have 40 games left to hang on to one of the three wild card spots in the American League. The Mariners will open a two-game interleague set with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Park. There are six teams in the hunt for the three wild card spots and Seattle is currently tied with Tampa Bay for the second and third positions, two games behind the Toronto Blue Jays. The Baltimore Orioles are only one game back with three others within four games entering Monday’s action. The Mariners just ended a 5-4 road trip through the AL West with two straight losses at the Oakland A’s.
Washington comes into this contest with the worst record in the majors and are in full rebuild mode after letting go Juan Soto and Josh Bell prior to the trade deadline. The Nats began their six-game road trip with two wins at the San Diego Padres before falling on Saturday and Sunday by a pair of 2-1 scores. Washington has not won a series since surprisingly winning two of three at the Los Angeles Dodgers near the end of July. Seattle took both meetings in D.C. earlier this season by the scores of 6-4 and 2-1. Washington has won five of their last six games in Seattle.
Pitchers: Nationals – Erick Fedde (5-7, 4.95) | Mariners – Robbie Ray (9-8, 3.87)
Erick Fedde will take the mound for the first time since July 24 when he surrendered three runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The lefty went on the injured list after that with right shoulder inflammation. Fedde lost his lone career start against the Mariners on July 13 when he allowed two runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Robbie Ray began the season with a 4.97 ERA after 12 starts but has been excellent since. Last year’s AL Cy Young winner posted a 0.91 ERA in his next six starts and has now won five of his last six decisions. He defeated the Los Angeles Angels last Tuesday and struck out 10 in six innings. This will be Ray’s first career start against the Nationals, the team that drafted him in the 12th round in 2010.
This is a pitching mismatch. Ray has found his form again after a slow first couple of months and the Mariners are on a 20-8 run after an off day. That Nationals have lost seven straight interleague games against a left-handed pitcher.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free MLB Picks page for today.
Pick: Mariners -1.5 -120
