TLDR: The Angels walk into T-Mobile Park at 62-99, so 1 more loss makes 100. The Mariners have 1 last chance to split a set the Angels have run so far, and then both clubs go home.
The Angels (62-99) and Mariners (75-86) finish the season with Kikuchi against Gilbert. The Angels are 1 loss from 100 and have won 2 of the first 3 games in the series. Seattle is favored behind the better starter, but its bullpen covered most of Saturday's game after Kade Anderson took a liner off the arm, and it is still without Andres Munoz.
Yusei Kikuchi (1-6, 4.88) and Logan Gilbert (12-11, 3.81) close out the regular season at 12:10 PM PT. Kikuchi's year has been short and rough. He missed close to 4 months with a shoulder problem after hurting his arm early in the season. In August he talked his way back into the rotation after getting hit hard in a Single-A rehab start. He told reporters his "luggage is already packed" and he turned down another rehab outing. Since then he has been pitching to contact, and he struck out just 2 in his last trip against the Athletics. Gilbert is the better pitcher on paper by a wide margin, but Houston hit him hard his last time out.
Yusei Kikuchi
(1-6)·4.88 ERA
Sep 22 @ Athletics
ND
5.1IP
2ER
2K
1BB
88P
09/27 Lineup
Logan Gilbert
(12-11)·3.81 ERA
Sep 22 vs Astros
L
4.0IP
4ER
3K
2BB
81P
09/27 Lineup
Seattle's problem is the bullpen behind Gilbert. Kade Anderson, the organization's top pitching prospect, threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday before Christian Moore hit a 104-mph line drive off his left forearm. The Mariners called it a bruise, but the bullpen still had to cover the other 5 2/3 innings the night before a noon start. That bullpen is already without Andres Munoz (knee) and Matt Brash (lat). Brock Rodden also went on the IL this week, so the infield is thin too.
Saturday was Seattle's first win of the series. Taylor Ward broke it open with a pinch-hit 2-run single in the 7th, and J.P. Crawford followed with a 2-run homer in an 8-4 win. Before that the Angels had won the first 2 games of the set 6-4 and 7-5. The Angels have scored at least 4 runs in every game of this series, which is more than you'd expect from a 99-loss lineup.
The lineup the Angels send out is mostly spare parts. Nolan Schanuel won't come off the IL before the season ends, and Yoan Moncada, Gustavo Campero and Anthony Rendon are all done for the year. Ben Joyce went on the IL with shoulder impingement during this trip, so the Angels' bullpen is missing its hardest thrower too. Both teams are playing out the string with a lot of their regulars and relievers unavailable.
There's no playoff race here, but there is still something to play for. An Angels win takes the series 3-1 and keeps them at 99 losses. A Mariners win splits the set and hands the Angels their 100th loss. Gilbert needs to pitch deep enough that Seattle's tired bullpen barely has to work, and that decides most of it.
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Los Angeles Angels at Seattle Mariners — Angels Try To Dodge 100 Losses In Seattle's Season Finale | Polymarket Odds · Barstool Bush
