1* Free MLB Play Late - #Athletics vs. #Mariners

[Pick Bot]

Athletics -136 1* FREE PLAY
I really expected the A's to put together a better performance last night vs. Felix Hernandez, but again like I said he's the best pitcher in baseball. Tonight will be a different story with Iwakuma taking the mound. Iwakuma had a poor outing vs. the A's in spring training and he gave up 10 BR in 3.2 IP along with 4 ER in a start last year. The Mariners are still just 1-7 in their last 8 meetings with the A's while Oakland is 41-17 in their last 58 home games. I really like the A's as a team and I think they will come back tonight and beat a pitcher they are supposed to with arguably one of their better pitchers on the mound.

Jarrod Parker had a rough spring, but he was playing around a lot with new pitches and now it's back to basics for him which should mean more quality starts. Parker's control improved late last season which is something I think carries over into this season and at home where he had a 2.61 ERA a year ago. Seattle's roster has 51 AB against him with a .448 OPS. Both of these pitchers gave up over 3 BB's per 9 a year ago and the difference will be Oakland was one of the better teams (2nd) at laying off pitches outside the zone so they should work themselves into good counts. They also were #1 in fly ball % at 39.6% and I bring that up because there were only 4 pitchers with at least 125 IP last year that had higher HR/FB % than Iwakuma at 17%. The A's have some pop ranking 11th with 11.9% HR/FB and Cespedes is 2-4 with a HR vs. Iwakuma. I think the A's are a nice match up here.