To say lefty Yusei Kikuchi has not found success since coming to MLB in 2019 would be putting it mildly and he has the task of attempting to tame the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.
Of Kikuchi’s 33 career starts, 22 have seen the total go over as he has registered a 5.61 ERA with 6.5 strikeouts and two home runs allowed per nine innings. In the four starts he made against Oakland last season, three went over the total.
Oakland’s Mike Fiers is looking to shake off the early-season struggles he’s had in recent years.
In his first start of 2020, he gave up four runs and seven hits in four innings against the Los Angeles Angels. Fiers had an 8.28 ERA in his first six starts of 2019, a 4.76 ERA through six starts in 2018, and a 5.64 ERA through six in 2017.
Seattle entered the series with a team ERA of 7.02 and was the only team in the majors that has not had a total go under.
With the Mariners second in the AL in batting average and the Athletics faring significantly batter against left-handed pitchers in 2019 — hitting a .262 compared to .244 against righties — things are aligned for a high-scoring affair.
The play: Athletics-Mariners, Over 9¹/₂ runs.
