This will be a homecoming of sorts for the Big Unit since he used to be the M's ace back in the day. Look for Randy Johnson's juices to be pumping tonight, and for him to put on a spectacular show.
He's 2-0 in his starts in Seattle since leaving the club. He won a 6-0 complete game with Arizona back in '99, and won 2-0 last year going seven strong. He's won four games in a row, and is starting to go deeper into games having gone seven innings in each of his last two starts.
His counterpart is another lefty, Jarrod Washburn, who has to be considered the offseason flop for the M's with all the money they paid him. He's been inconsistent to say the least, and should get shellacked this evening. Seattle struggles hitting left-handed pitching, only averaging 3.9 RPG, while the Yanks' eyeballs pop out of their sockets whenever a southpaw toes the rubber (5.9 RPG).
I'm looking for more of the same this evening as well. The M's are still in the midst of a terrible slump regardless of Tuesday night's Game 1 victory. Look for the Unit and the Yanks to roll and then head south to take on one of the better AL West squads.
With southpaws Randy Johnson and Jarrod Washburn on the mound tonight in Seattle, look for the Yankees-Mariners game to fall under.
Both of these starting pitchers are having up and down seasons, but they have both been pitching reasonably well lately and have both pitched well vs. their opponent tonight.
Randy Johnson has still managed to post a 14-9 record despite a 4.98 ERA for the year, and he does have a good 1.20 WHIP in his last three starts covering 20 innings. Johnson has been brilliant in four career starts vs. Seattle allowing a grand total of five earned runs in 32 innings, including one start this season where he allowed two earned runs while recording 11 strikeouts in eight solid innings.
Jarrod Washburn has done his best pitching at home this season despite owning just a 4-5 record here, as he has a 3.72 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in this stadium. He has earned a reputation as a Yankee Killer over the years, posting eight quality starts in nine career outings against the Bronx Bombers, and surrendering just four runs in the lone non-quality effort.
Finally do not forget that both of these bullpens are ranked in the Top 10 in the Major Leagues in pen ERA, which should minimize late tack-on runs.
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Yankees at Mariners - Aug 24th
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