Indians at Mariners
The Cleveland Indians made few changes to the lineup in the offseason and begin the quest to duplicate an outstanding 2017 regular season Thursday night against the host Seattle Mariners in a battle of two Cy Young Award winners. The Indians won an American League-best 102 games last season before losing to the New York Yankees in the Division series and hope for better health from key players.
Second baseman Jason Kipnis and left-handed reliever Andrew Miller are healthy after missing time last season for Cleveland and a third former All-Star, Michael Brantley, should be back from an ankle injury soon after playing just 90 games last year. Corey Kluber, coming off his second Cy Young Award in four years and a strong spring, gets the call Thursday for the Indians while 2010 winner Felix Hernandez is scheduled to become the seventh pitcher in major league history to make 10 straight Opening Day starts for the Mariners. Seattle was in the race for a wild-card spot deep into September last season and adds a new double-play combo of second baseman Dee Gordon along with shortstop Jean Segura to a strong lineup. The Mariners have a powerful middle of the order with Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager as the trio combined for 89 homers in 2017.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), ROOT Sports Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Corey Kluber (2017: 18-4, 2.25 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (2017: 6-5, 4.36)
Kluber looks to be primed for another strong season after going 4-0 with a 2.29 ERA in five spring starts while striking out 25 over 19 ? innings. The 31-year-old Alabama native went 11-1 after the All-Star break last season to match his career-high in wins overall, and struck out 265 in 203 ? frames, but struggled in two starts during the playoffs (nine runs, 6 ? innings) against the Yankees. Cano is 4-for-14 with three doubles and a pair of walks against Kluber, who is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in four career starts versus the Mariners.
Hernandez made just 16 starts in 2017 due to injuries and won the fewest games since his rookie season in 2005, but is ready to go despite taking a liner off his forearm in late February. The 31-year-old Venezuelan, who allowed two runs in five innings over just two appearances with five strikeouts in the spring, gave up 17 homers last season and his batting average against (.258) was the highest since 2008. Slugger Edwin Encarnacion has a pair of homers versus Hernandez, who is 7-6 with a 2.95 ERA in 16 career starts against the Indians.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cleveland 1B Yonder Alonso replaces the departed Carlos Santana after belting a career-high 28 homers with Oakland and Seattle in 2017.
2. Mariners OF Ichiro Suzuki, who has rejoined the team he started his major league career with (2001-12), is questionable with a calf injury.
3. The Indians won four of the six meetings last season, including two of three in Seattle.