The New York Yankees take on the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series starting Tuesday night, and for the first time in quite a while, it's the Yankees who are looking up at their opponents.
Seattle comes into the series as one of the hottest teams in the AL, and they've now won eight of their last ten. The Yankees, though, have dropped eight of their last 12 thanks to inconsistent pitching and anemic offense.
Snapshot:
Home: Seattle Mariners (34-29, 14-15 home)
Away: New York Yankees (31-31, 18-15 away)
Key Stat:
The Yankees haven't scored more than five runs in a single game since May 28th. In the 10 games since, they're averaging just 2.5 per contest.
Mariners Outlook:
Felix Hernandez won't pitch against the Yankees, but unlike in past years, that won't be a major issue for Seattle. Hisashi Iwakuma, Chris Young and Roenis Elias will take the mound against New York, and all three should be able to assert themselves against a floundering Yankees lineup.
Even without a lot of power in their lineup, the Mariners have been able to manufacture runs on offense. If Kyle Seager and former Yankee Robinson Cano can keep their rhythm going, the Mariners should have no trouble taking two of three from the Yankees - at the very least.
Yankees Outlook:
The slumping Yankees need a lift, and it has to come from the offense. While the pitching hasn't been top-tier, the offense has been just abysmal lately, and the Yankees could have easily avoided their current slump with just a little more run support.
Jacoby Ellsbury has been the only effective Yankees player on offense lately, and if the team wants to avoid a messy series against Seattle, he needs help. If Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran can break out and start putting runs on the board again, the Yankees will be able to get back on their feet. If they keep on whiffing, things are going to get much worse before they get better in New York.
What to Watch For:
Can the Yankees offense find an answer against Seattle's suddenly-formidable pitching staff? Can the Mariners keep putting runs on the board despite Robinson Cano's lack of power (he's hitting .330, which is stellar, but he's only gone yard twice so far this season)?
If the Bronx Bombers can't make things happen on offense, Seattle is going to eat their lunch in this series. If their bats start waking up though, they'll be able to stop the bleeding and start regaining ground in the AL East.
What They're Saying About the Mariners:
Mariners rank near the top of the league in attendance growth (Lookout Landing)
Seattle Mariners week in review: Just shy of perfect (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
What They're Saying About the Yankees:
Ellsbury nursing sore hip, but Yanks not concerned (Official Site of the Yankees)
5 Starters New York Yankees Should Target to Fix Rotation (Bleacher Report)
