Mariners at Yankees
The Seattle Mariners, who own the third-best home record in the American League, will hit the road for a 10-game trek that includes the two teams ahead of them in that regard. The Mariners begin a three-game series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday before visiting Boston later in the week.
"This stretch in our schedule, everybody looked at it early on and, 'Oh, it's going to be tough. You guys haven't played anybody.' But we're just fine. You have to play the schedule," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. "We don't make it, we just play it. And we're looking forward to the trip out east." Dee Gordon and Ben Gamel are each carrying six-game hitting streaks into the opener, while Nelson Cruz has homered in five of his last nine contests for the Mariners (46-26). While Seattle had won 22 of 28 games before dropping a 9-3 decision to Boston on Sunday, New York (47-22) spent Monday losing its suspended game versus Washington before winning the rescheduled contest later in the evening. Aaron Hicks went deep for the second time in as many days and third time in five days in the 4-2 win.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (7-3, 3.42 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Domingo German (1-4, 5.23)
Gonzales owns a 4-0 mark with a 1.41 ERA in his last six starts despite settling for a no-decision after allowing three runs on seven hits in five innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. The 26-year-old fanned seven against the Angels, marking his most strikeouts in a game since he had seven versus the same club on May 5. Gonzales will be facing the Yankees for the first time in his career, although he previously has squared off against Giancarlo Stanton (1-for-2) and Didi Gregorius (0-for-1).
German entered the winner's circle for the first time this season with a career-high 10-strikeout effort Thursday versus Tampa Bay, yielding three runs on five hits in six innings for the second outing in a row. "It's been a long battle for me," the 25-year-old Dominican said through a translator. "It means a lot. Hopefully, I can relax a little more." German was taken deep on the first pitch of the game versus the Rays and has surrendered seven homers in his last six trips to the mound.
WALK-OFFS
1. Stanton had four hits in Monday's latter contest, giving him six in his last three completed games after he was held without a hit in five of his previous six.
2. Seattle activated RHP Juan Nicasio (knee) and C Chris Hermann (oblique) off the 10-day disabled list on Monday, with both players available for the series opener.
3. Mariners OF Mitch Haniger has drawn a walk in five of his last six games.
PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Yankees 2