Seattle Mariners’ 3-Game Series Looms For Struggling New York Yankees

The Mariners are a good team that is also not playing well, but if the Yankees are not careful, they could lose all three of these games at Yankee Stadium. Against the Mariners, who are in second place in the American League West, the Yankees will not have their best starting pitchers going. 

In the second game against the Mariners, the Yankees may start a pitcher who is making his major league debut. The best Yankee pitchers are supposed to start in the next series against the Chicago Cubs, who have scored the most runs in Major League Baseball. Do you think the Yankees will get swept?

Mariners Series Pitching Matchups

On Tuesday, July 8, at 7:05 pm at Yankee Stadium, the Seattle Mariners will start Logan Gilbert against the New York Yankees’ Will Warren. Gilbert has made four starts deep since being activated off the injured list June 16 and has not gone further than 5.1 innings. He only has two starts longer than 5.1 innings this season. He is 2-2 with a 3.40 earned run average. He faces Will Warren, who has been inconsistent all season. He is 5-4 with a 5.02 earned run average.

In the second game of the series, the Mariners will start Logan Evans against Mr. TBD for the Yankees. Logan Evans was called up from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers for his eighth start of the season against the Royals on July 3. He had three strikeouts, walked one, hit two, and allowed three hits but no runs in 5.2 innings. It was his first outing since June 10. He is 3-2 with a 2.96 earned run average.

In the third game of the series, the Mariners will start All-Star Bryan Woo against Marcus Stroman. Woo is coming off his fourth scoreless start of the season, is 8-4 with a 2.77 earned run average. He is starting against Stroman, who was so-so in his last start after coming off the injured list. He has been bad this season, and his statistics bear that out. He is only 1-1 with a 7.45 earned run average.

All three of these games are at Yankee Stadium and are at 7:05 pm. In each of them, the Yankees have a disadvantage in starting pitching. They will have to work hard to get these games into the Mariners’ bullpen.

The Almost Loss

The Yankees won the last game on Sunday of the Subway Series against the New York Mets. They won 6-4 to stop a six-game losing streak. The Yankees led the game against the Mets 5-0, but the Mets drew to within 5-4. That was hardly an ideal way to head into the series with the Mariners.

Follow Your Throws Drill

The Yankees continue to struggle with fundamentals as they head into the series with the Mariners. So, we will continue with a fundamentals review with the best defensive drill out there. It is fun for both players and coaches, and the Yankees should do it in practice. It is called the follow your throws drill.

Here is how to do it. It would be good if the Yankees did this drill before they play the Mariners. Put all your players on the infield of a baseball field. Put one defensive player at each base, including the catcher; there is no pitcher. Line up the rest of the players behind the shortstop. The coach hits grounders to the shortstop. The shortstop fields the ball (properly, at the top of the triangle) and throws to first base (properly, get on your skateboard). The shortstop follows the throw and runs to first base, where the throw went. The first baseman receives the throw and then throws the ball to second base and follows his throw there.

The second baseman applies a two-handed sweep tag (hold the baseball in your glove with your throwing hand; it is secure, and the baserunner will not knock it loose). The second baseman throws to third base and follows the throw there. The third baseman also applies a two-handed sweep tag upon receiving the baseball. The third baseman throws home and follows his throw there. The catcher receives the throw and applies a two-handed sweep tag. Then the Catcher runs to the end of the shortstop line.

The drill is then repeated with the new players on the bases. You could time this drill and see if you can make it through all players in a minute. This drill is good because it covers fielding, throwing to bases, catching at bases, tagging, and it enhances team fitness, because there is a lot of running. 

Conclusion

The Yankees also went through an offensive drought in their June swoon. The best drill ever is a hitting drill. If the Yankees do not play better against the Mariners, they are likely to lose all three games. The Mariners are good, and the Yankees are throwing the weak part of their starting rotation. So, the Mariners have the advantage. After this series with the Mariners, the Yankees face the Chicago Cubs, who are leading Major League Baseball in runs scored.