this twinKenta Maeda heads into Monday night series opener seattle mariners In Minneapolis, just 2-5 with a 5.10 ERA, but Minnesota still likes what the veteran right-hander is doing
Maeda, the 2020 American League Cy Young Award runner-up behind Cleveland’s Sean Bieber, missed nearly two months with a triceps injury earlier this season. After his return, he’s 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA in five starts, allowing 18 hits and striking out 36 in 26 1/3 innings.
Maeda, 35, who will miss the entire 2022 season following Tommy John surgery, is 0-0 with a 2.61 ERA in his two career starts against teams. sailors. In Wednesday’s 6-3 win over Seattle, he struggled in his most recent start when he allowed two runs on three hits while striking out nine in 6 1/3 innings.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever seen (Maeda) have,” Minnesota head coach Rocco Baldry said. “It’s really exciting. To see him take it to the next level at this stage of the season, at this stage of his career — it’s a big day.”
Maeda hits 93.4 mph with his fastball, but even more dazzling is his variety of low-speed pitches.
“This is the Kenta of 2020” twin Catcher Ryan Jeffers added. “It’s just, throw anything, no matter how much, good luck, stuff moves like crazy, fastball is jumpy.
Right-hander Luis Castillo (6-7, 3.04 ERA), also not involved in the decision for Wednesday’s game, will start for Seattle.
Castillo allowed three runs on six hits, two walks and four walks in six innings while striking out 11, his most in 31 games since Seattle. sailors Acquired him from the Cincinnati Reds at the trade deadline last season
this sailors will begin a six-game road trip that also includes three games in Arizona. Seattle’s three-game winning streak ended with a 4-3 loss to Toronto on Sunday afternoon, 4 1/2 games away from the final AL wild-card spot.
“What a series” sailors manager Scott Serves said. “Every game goes to the end. Our players really give it their all.
Seattle won the opener 3-2 on a Teoscar Hernandez single and beat the Blue Jays 9-8 on Saturday.
this sailors It looked like they were on the verge of completing a sweep Sunday when they had a player out in both the second- and third-place races.But Toronto All-Star finisher Jordan Romano struck out Julio Rodriguez before flying Eugenio Suarez to end the game
“We played really well,” Servais said. “The group is coming together and looking at ways to create chances. We’ve had a lot more of that approach lately and that needs to continue.
“It’s going to be an interesting trip, but we’re playing really well right now. Can’t complain about our effort. Execution was really good.”
Minnesota swept the Chicago White Sox in three games and is 8-2 since the All-Star break.this twinThey went 5-for-22 on Sunday, with a runner in scoring position and 16 runs left, trailing 0-3 in the ninth and winning 5-4 in 12 innings thanks to Jeffers’ single in the series finale.
“We got the job done. That’s what matters,” Jeffers said. “It was a scrimmage all day. We didn’t have a lot of offense until the ninth, but we got the hitters together when we needed to, and we stayed tough. It was a good sweep.”
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