Mariners' Luis Castillo Can Control Cubs Hitting

Mariners vs. Cubs, 7:40 ET

It was a fairly forgettable weekend as I went just 2-4 on Saturday and Sunday. Luckily going 3-0 on Friday helped quite a bit. So then 5-4 on the three days is fine, but we still want better than that. Now, let's get going with a couple of victories. It seems like a few of those games were coin flips and I was on the wrong side of them, but I have a specific play in this one.

The Mariners are off to a bit of a slow start on the season, but they did have to face the Guardians twice already on the year. I'm not saying Cleveland is some world-beating team, but they are likely to be fighting for the playoffs. Seattle was able to steal two of the past three games from Cleveland and the only loss came in the final game, a 12th-inning loss. Now they head to Chicago to take on the Cubs. They have Luis Castillo starting for them in this game, and being that he pitched for Cincinnati for so long, he is very familiar with Wrigley Field and a lot of Cubs hitters. He's off to a phenomenal start to the year with 11.2 innings and only three hits allowed. He has yet to allow a run on the year as well. Opponents have mustered two runs against the Mariners in his starts. Castillo is a very real candidate for Cy Young, so grab that ticket now if you want. Cubs hitters to have some success against him, Nico Hoerner, Eric Hosmer, and Ian Happ all have a solid track record against him but just six total RBIs between the three of them.

The Cubs are a team that I have high hopes for and not just because I am a fan. I have a couple of tickets on them for different things and could use them to get off to a good start. At 4-4, I'll take it. Today I don't care if they win or lose to be honest, I have a different type of play for the game. Chicago did just take two of three from the Rangers in the past weekend and have won three of their past four games. They have played competitive baseball for the most part of the early season. Drew Smyly is taking the ball for the Cubs and he had a very rough start in his first game of the year going 4.2 innings and allowing six earned runs on nine hits. I expect some improvement from him, but I also don't have a ton of confidence that he is an extended answer for them. At best, he can be an innings eater and a playoff team will come calling for him around the middle of the season. Seattle hasn't seen much of him and they have a .206 batting average against him.

I don't think the Cubs are going to score a lot of runs in this one and am taking the under on their team total of 3.5. They are playing good baseball, but the way that Castillo is pitching, I think he can hold them scoreless. He will need to navigate against a few hitters that have hit him well, but this is still worth it.

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