Seattle @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2018 ) LA Angels 1, Seattle 4

Twenty-three games over .500 only gets a team the fourth-best record in the American League, and the Seattle Mariners are determined to move up in the standings. The Mariners will begin another push when they kick off a six-game road trip to close the first half by visiting the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

Seattle had some trouble scoring against Colorado to end its homestand but finally got the bats moving Sunday and earned a 6-4 victory to avoid a sweep. Nelson Cruz scored a pair of runs in the win and headlines a trio of Mariners that were announced to the AL All-Star roster Sunday, including right fielder Mitch Haniger and closer Edwin Diaz. The Angels only have one representative on the initial All-Star roster, but center fielder Mike Trout is the AL's marquee player as he gets set for his seventh All-Star appearance in as many seasons and heads into the series against Seattle looking to do damage after struggling to 2-for-10 with three strikeouts at the Mariners last week. Trying to stop Trout on Tuesday will be Mariners right-hander Mike Leake, who opposes Los Angeles righty Garrett Richards.


TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Mike Leake (8-5, 4.11 ERA) vs. Angels RH Garrett Richards (5-4, 3.42)

Leake had a string of eight straight starts lasting at least six innings come to an end with a loss to the Angels on Wednesday. The Arizona State product was reached for four runs (three earned) on nine hits and one walk in four innings while squandering an early lead. Leake allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of his previous eight outings, including a win over Los Angeles on June 12 in which he scattered one run and four hits over six frames.

Richards came off the disabled list after over a month because of a left hamstring strain Wednesday and went up against Leake at Seattle. Richards struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings while allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits to earn his first win since May 4, which also came at Seattle. The 30-year-old is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 14 innings in three starts against the Mariners this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels SS Andrelton Simmons and Mariners SS Jean Segura are on the Final Vote ballot for the last AL All-Star spot.

2. Diaz struck out the side in three of his last four appearances.

3. Los Angeles RF Kole Calhoun is 0-for-13 over the last four games, dropping his batting average to .170.

PREDICTION: Angels 5, Mariners 3