Mariners and Angels Battle for Series in Anaheim, with Luis Castillo on the Mound

The Seattle Mariners head into Sunday's matchup against the Los Angeles Angels tied at 1-1 in their three-game series, with everything to play for in Anaheim. Both teams are sitting at 4-5 on the season, but the Mariners have a chance to take control with a win at Angel Stadium at 4:07 p.m. EDT.

Castillo vs. Johnson: A Tale of Two Arms

Luis Castillo gets the nod for Seattle and he's looking sharp early in 2026. The Mariners ace is undefeated at 0-0 with a sparkling 0.00 ERA and a 0.67 WHIP through his early outings. He's struck out seven batters so far and figures to be a major factor in what could be a tight contest. The Angels counter with Ryan Johnson, who is still searching for his first win of the season at 0-1 with a rough 16.20 ERA and a 3.30 WHIP. Johnson has only recorded two strikeouts so far, and that's a massive difference in pedigree at the top of the order.

Injury Reports Tell the Story

The Angels are dealing with a serious injury crunch heading into Sunday. Los Angeles has seven players on the injured list, including closer Kirby Yates on the 15-day IL with a knee injury, Robert Stephenson on the 60-day IL with elbow issues, and Anthony Rendon also out on the 60-day IL with a hip problem. That's a lot of firepower missing from their lineup.

The Mariners aren't completely healthy either. Brendan Donovan is day-to-day with a leg injury, while Carlos Vargas (lat), Miles Mastrobuoni (calf), Bryce Miller (oblique), and Logan Evans (arm) are all currently sidelined. Still, Seattle's injury list appears slightly less daunting than what the Angels are facing.

The Numbers Game

Last season tells us a bit about what these teams are built to do. Los Angeles went 72-90 overall and averaged 4.2 runs per game while allowing 5.2. Seattle went 90-72 overall and averaged 8.3 hits per game with 3.0 extra base hits per game. The Mariners were clearly the more explosive offensive team a year ago, and that could matter in a low-scoring series like this one.

The betting line favors Seattle at minus-161, with the Angels at plus-135. The over/under is set at 9.5 runs.

Winner takes the series. First pitch is at 4:07 p.m. EDT at Angel Stadium.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.