Seattle @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Mar 23, 2014 ) Oakland 4, Seattle 6
The Seattle Mariners are 3-0 for the third time in franchise history and look to continue their hot start when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Thursday. Seattle outscored the Los Angeles Angels 26-8 in the opening set and swept a series in Anaheim for the first time since June 9-11, 2006. Oakland opened by losing two of three to the Cleveland Indians and split a doubleheader Wednesday.
Jim Johnson has replaced Grant Balfour as the Oakland closer and blew the save and suffered the loss in the second game of the doubleheader against Cleveland. Johnson also was the losing pitcher in Monday’s opener and brings a 45.00 ERA into the series against Seattle. Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak is off to a torrid start as he went 6-for-13 with two homers, two doubles and seven RBIs against the Angels.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Roenis Elias (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jesse Chavez (2013: 2-4, 3.92)
Elias is making his major-league debut and earned a rotation spot due to injures to Hisashi Iwakuma and rookie Taijuan Walker. The Cuban compiled a 2.04 ERA in five spring appearances but will be pitching above Double-A for the first time. Elias went 6-11 with a 3.18 ERA in 22 starts for Jackson of the Southern League last season.
The 30-year-old Chavez made 35 relief appearances for Oakland last season, and his only two major-league starts came for Toronto in 2012. Injuries to Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin opened the door for Chavez, who went 5-1 with a 2.22 ERA during the spring. Chavez enters the season with a 9-15 career mark and a 5.48 ERA over 191 major-league games.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle had 17 extra-base hits (six homers, two triples, nine doubles) in the sweep of the Angels.
2. Athletics OF Yoenis Cespedes has 10 homers in 36 career games against Seattle.
3. Mariners 2B Robinson Cano is 5-for-11 with four walks in his first three games with the franchise.
PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Mariners 4