Mariners vs Guardians Preview: Wake-Up Call in Week 66

The Mariners roll into Progressive Field with one of baseball's deepest rotations. Emerson Hancock takes the mound for Seattle, backed by anchors Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo who can shut down any lineup. The Guardians counter with Gavin Williams, but he's struggled this season with a 6.75 ERA. Cleveland's missing star third baseman Jose Ramirez, who's out 5-to-7 weeks after hand surgery. That's a huge blow to their defense and lineup. The Mariners' bullpen has Andrés Muñoz—one of the league's best closers with 38 saves last year. Seattle's pitching staff looks locked in for this one.

Cleveland's bats woke up yesterday, scoring four runs and beating Seattle 4-3. Kyle Manzardo, Brayan Bazzana, and Rocchio all drove in runs. The Guardians' lineup has dangerous hitters who can quickly turn a game around. But Seattle answered back with Luis Arozarena crushing a homer 427 feet to center field—the crowd held its breath as the ball sailed over the wall. Both teams are hungry, both sitting at 42 wins. This is a tight race. The Guardians want to climb back into things at home. The Mariners want revenge after last night's loss.

Both teams need this win badly. Seattle sits at 42-41 overall and won their last game before yesterday's loss. Cleveland is 42-40 and just lost, dropping their last ten to just 3-7. The Mariners are hot when their pitching staff locks in. The Guardians need their bats to stay alive like they showed yesterday. Missing Chase DeLauter and other key players, Cleveland is fighting through injuries. Seattle's rotation is the story here—if Hancock pitches strong and the bullpen holds, the Mariners take control of this series.

After Cleveland's dramatic comeback yesterday, the momentum seems theirs. But don't sleep on Seattle's pitching. Emerson Hancock needs to dominate early and keep those runs off the board. The Guardians' bats have to stay aggressive and keep scoring. This game will come down to who makes fewer mistakes and who's bullpen holds strong in the late innings. You can feel the tension building. These two teams are separated by just one win in the standings. Every pitch matters. Every at-bat could be the difference. By Sunday night, one team will grab control of this series.