Seattle rolls into Miami on a roll of its own, but the Marlins are trotting out the hottest arm in their rotation and the Mariners are missing their best player to do it.
Bush’s PicksPicks madeJul 7, 2:50 PM CT
+112SEAMIA-121
-196SEA +1.5MIA -1.5+175
-120Over 7.5Under 7.5+105
Best BetMarlins -121
Miami's the pick here, and it starts with the man on the mound: Meyer's been the most consistent starter in either rotation all year, and he's doing it in front of his home crowd. Seattle's lineup is missing Julio Rodriguez, its best hitter, which trims the margin for error against a pitcher who doesn't hand out many free passes. The Mariners are still a good team playing well, so this isn't a lock, but the arm advantage tips it Miami's way.
Mariners
+1st place in AL West at 47-44
+Won 4 of last 5, riding momentum
+Woo has a franchise-record scoreless streak this year
−Julio Rodriguez out on concussion IL
−Woo has struggled away from T-Mobile Park
−Donovan and Refsnyder also out of lineup
Marlins
+Meyer is 9-1, 2.53 ERA, first-time All-Star
+Won 3 straight to close last road trip
+Offense has shown big-inning upside recently
−Bullpen missing Bender, Nardi and Ekness
−Sitting 3rd in a crowded NL East
−Lost last outing to Colorado despite a strong line
Max Meyer (9-1, 2.53 ERA) gets the ball for Miami, and this is the version of Meyer that's turned into the best story in the NL East race: an All-Star nod, a stretch that matched a franchise record for consecutive wins, and swing-and-miss stuff that's made him nearly unhittable through the first half. Seattle counters with Bryan Woo (7-6, 4.17), who's been a completely different pitcher depending on the zip code. At T-Mobile Park, Woo authored a 32-inning scoreless streak that broke a club record. On the road, it hasn't come nearly as easy. First pitch is 6:40 PM ET at loanDepot Park.
The road-versus-home split matters more than usual here because Seattle's lineup isn't at full strength. Julio Rodriguez, the engine of this offense, is on the 7-day concussion IL after taking a throw off the back of the helmet during a July 3 double-play attempt against the Angels. Brendan Donovan (groin) is just starting a rehab assignment and Rob Refsnyder is out with knee issues, so the middle of Seattle's order is thinner than the record suggests. Miami's own bullpen is banged up too, with Anthony Bender, Andrew Nardi and Josh Ekness all on the injured list, which puts extra weight on Meyer going deep.
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SEA Mariners
MIA Marlins
None of that has slowed either club down lately. Seattle just wrapped a 5-1 homestand against the Angels and Blue Jays, including an 11-0 blowout and a pair of shutout-caliber pitching lines, and now heads out on a six-game trip in the last week before the All-Star break. Miami answered with a strong finish of its own out west, taking 3 of its last 5 against Colorado and Oakland, including back-to-back wins to close the trip. Both teams are playing meaningful baseball in July, which is exactly what a matchup like this should look like.
