Baseball is a unique sport in more ways than one. For a team to be successful, it takes camaraderie and buy-in to successfully reach a common goal. It is also impossible for this to happen without individual success.
We often compare a pitcher and hitter to a ‘cat and mouse,’ or a chess match where one is trying to out-smart the other. We have some pitcher/hitter matchups to be on the lookout for today. Let’s take a look at the three most intriguing matchups on Monday’s slate.
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Logan Gilbert vs. Jose Altuve
The Houston Astros will travel to Seattle to take on the Mariners on Monday. Logan Gilbert will get the ball for the M’s and he has displayed explosive stuff so far in 2025, striking out 18 batters in his 12.1 innings pitched. He will look to get his first win of the season against Houston but will have to go through Jose Altuve.
Altuve is 11 for 33 against Gilbert in his career. Of those 11 hits, six of them have been for extra bases including five doubles and a home run. Gilbert has punched out Altuve eight times so we will see if the momentum he is currently carrying is enough to neutralize the bat of Houston’s left fielder.
Luis Severino vs. Xander Bogaerts
The San Diego Padres signed Xander Bogaerts to a 11-year deal worth $280 million dollars back in 2023. He is signed through the 2033 season and has a full no-trade clause in his contract. Only elite players get contracts like this but even the best players in the world have their kryptonite. For Bogaerts, that’s A’s starter Luis Severino.
Severino and Bogaerts will square off on Monday night and the statistics of this matchup is mind-blowing. Bogaerts is an atrocious 3-for-31 (.097) against Severino and has struck out eight times. Severino is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA so far on the year and will have a tough task against the Padres offense on Monday but will look to build off the success he has had against Bogaerts.
Casey Mize vs. Aaron Judge
The New York Yankees and Aaron Judge are off to a historic start to the 2025 season. Whether it is thanks to their new torpedo bats or strictly all talent, the Yankees are hitting homers at an astronomical rate. Judge already has left the yard six times this season and is in a good position to continue his success.
The Tigers will play host to the Yankees on Monday afternoon with Casey Mize on the hill. Mize has only faced Judge a few times but the Yankees’ slugger has dominated those matchups. Judge is 4 for 5 against Mize in his career with two singles and two doubles. With the way Judge is swinging the bat this season, it would be no surprise to see him rack up more extra base hits on Monday.