Angels vs Mariners Preview: Young Arms, Big Frames

The Angels walk into T-Mobile Park riding a two-game winning streak. They're 36-49 on the season, but lately they've been playing good baseball. Their pitcher Ryan Johnson has been throwing strikes and keeping batters off balance. The Mariners sit at 42-43, so this is a winnable game for Los Angeles. Mike Trout and Grayson Rodriguez are both injured, which hurts the Angels' lineup and rotation depth. But the team isn't giving up. Johnson gets the ball tonight and has a chance to keep this hot streak alive against a Seattle team that just lost their last two games.

The Mariners have one of baseball's deepest pitching staffs, and George Kirby is part of that strength. He's 1-1 with a 3 ERA and 26 strikeouts this season, sitting at number 56 overall in pitching rankings. Luis Castillo and Logan Gilbert anchor the rotation with firepower. In the bullpen, Andrés Muñoz is a premier closer who recorded 38 saves last year with a 1.73 ERA. Seattle's pitching is balanced and reliable. Matt Brash is injured with a lat strain, but the Mariners have depth to replace him. The pitching keeps Seattle competitive game after game.

The Angels need wins to stay in the hunt. Ryan Johnson pitches well, and back-end rotation depth is solid. Young arms are growing up fast. The Mariners need to snap their two-game losing streak. Seattle's pitching staff is their superpower. George Kirby will take the mound and look to dominate. Both teams have injured stars on the sidelines, but both squads believe they can compete. This game matters for both sides. Watch how the bullpens perform late. Whoever pitches better wins this matchup.