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MVP Chants for Cal Raleigh as Surging Mariners Visit Slumping Twins
It’s only June, but the “M-V-P” chants are already raining down for Cal Raleigh. The Seattle Mariners’ catcher is putting together a season for the ages, and he’ll bring his power show to Minneapolis on Monday night as the surging Seattle Mariners open a four-game series against the slumping Minnesota Twins. The series opener pits two teams on completely different trajectories, with one riding the wave of a potential MVP campaign and the other desperately trying to stay afloat.
The “Big Dumper” for MVP?
Cal Raleigh is not just having an All-Star season; he’s having a historic one. After launching his league-leading 31st home run in Sunday’s 14-6 win over the Cubs, visiting Mariners fans at Wrigley Field serenaded him with MVP chants so loud they interrupted his postgame television interview. It’s a rare honor for any player, let alone a catcher, to receive that kind of recognition on the road this early in the season. His performance has put him at the forefront of the American League MVP discussion, a remarkable feat for a player at the game’s most demanding position.
“I don’t know about that,” Raleigh said with a bashful smile as the chants continued. “But it does sound nice.” His combination of power (31 HR) and run production (66 RBIs) makes him one of the most feared hitters in the game and puts him in elite company among the stars on all MLB teams.
A Deep and Dangerous Lineup
While Raleigh is the headliner, the Mariners’ offense is far from a one-man show. The lineup is deep, featuring perennial stars like Julio Rodriguez and J.P. Crawford. The team has also gotten significant contributions from a pair of former Twins, second baseman Jorge Polanco and first baseman Donovan Solano, who added two home runs of his own in Sunday’s victory. This depth makes the Seattle lineup a difficult challenge for any pitching staff, as threats can emerge from any spot in the order.
Minnesota’s Misery
While the Mariners are flying high, the Twins have hit rock bottom. They are mired in a deep slump, having lost nine of their last ten games, and are coming off a miserable weekend where they were swept by the Brewers. The frustration in the clubhouse is palpable. The team has struggled with pitching, defense, and timely hitting, culminating in an embarrassing 9-0 loss on Saturday that ended with a mental lapse on the basepaths.
“We’ve got to do a better job of slowing the other team down,” a frustrated manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I’m going to try to make some adjustments. Our pitchers are going to make some adjustments. Our defense can do a better job, too.” The psychology of a team trying to break out of a deep funk is a key factor for bettors, a topic often explored in our expert betting guide.
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A Fascinating Pitching Duel of Opposites
Monday night’s pitching matchup is a perfect storm of conflicting trends, a true battle of recent form versus career history. The Mariners will start right-hander Bryan Woo (6-4, 3.12 ERA), who is coming off his most dominant performance of the season: seven scoreless, one-hit innings against the Red Sox. He is red-hot. However, in his career against the Twins, Woo has been terrible, posting a sky-high 8.10 ERA.
The Twins will counter with right-hander Bailey Ober (4-4, 4.54 ERA), who is in the midst of a deep personal slump. He has lost his last three starts and has an 8.31 ERA during that stretch, having been hit hard by opponents. However, in his career against the Mariners, Ober has been excellent, with a 2-0 record and a 3.60 ERA. This incredible dichotomy for both pitchers makes this matchup a fascinating puzzle on the scores and odds board.
What to Watch For
The central question of this game is simple: what matters more, current form or past history? Can the hot pitcher, Woo, finally solve the team that has always had his number? Can the struggling pitcher, Ober, use his history of success against Seattle to get himself back on track and be the stopper his team desperately needs? To see who our experts think will win this compelling matchup, check out our daily MLB picks.
