Cleveland Indians-Seattle Mariners Series Preview

Cleveland Indians-Seattle Mariners Series Preview 6/6-6/9

The Cleveland Indians (31-24) will begin their 10-day, 10-game road trip this evening with a four-game series against the Seattle Mariners (31-25). This is the second meeting between the two clubs in 2016 with the Mariners taking two of three from the Tribe in Cleveland earlier this year. The Indians won the season series last year going 4-3. Here are the probable pitching matchups for the final series between the two clubs this season:

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"Monday (6/6): RHP Trevor Bauer (3-2, 4.27 ERA) vs LHP James Paxton (0-1, 7.36)Tuesday (6/7): RHP Carlos Carrasco (2-0, 3.00) vs LHP Wade Miley (5-2, 5.85)Wednesday (6/8): RHP Danny Salazar (6-3, 2.24) vs RHP Taijuan Walker (2-6, 3.94)Thursday (6/9): RHP Josh Tomlin (8-1, 3.54) vs RHP Nathan Karns (5-2, 4.23)"

Carlos Carrasco will be making his second start since returning from the disabled list and should have no limitations like in his first start. Indians starters are coming off a great series in Kansas City in which they allowed just five runs in four games (1.78 ERA). James Paxton will be making his second start of the season for the injured Felix Hernandez.

With Paxton and Miley, a pair of lefties, starting the first two games of the series it’s likely that rookie outfielder Tyler Naquin will be on the bench to begin the series. In the four games since he returned from the minors, he’s batting .545 with three home runs, the first of his career. Those four games have increased his season average to .351 and his OPS has risen to .960.

The Indians will look for Mike Napoli to remain hot at the plate. In his last 13 games, Napoli has hit seven home runs and is batting .298 with a 1.190 OPS. He already has 14 home runs on the season. Carlos Santana has also been showing more power early this year, hitting his 10th against the Royals yesterday. It marks the quickest he’s ever reached that milestone in a season, having reached it in just his 54th game of the year. He’s on pace for 28 home runs this year, which would be a new career high.

The Indians could also be getting a bullpen reinforcement this series. Joba Chamberlain is eligible to come off the disabled list today and the Indians have hinted that he may not need a rehab stint before being activated. With Austin Adams getting work in yesterday, there’s a good chance he’d be the one to be optioned out to make room for Chamberlain who has a 1.93 ERA and 0.86 WHIP this season.

Next: Indians Win, Complete Sweep of Royals

At the conclusion of their four-game set in Seattle, the Indians will head south to Orange County to take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  It’ll be the first meeting between the two clubs this year.