Watch Kelenic's debut free on MLB.TV

Thursday is a big day in Seattle. That's because two of the Mariners' top prospects will be arriving at T-Mobile Park to make their MLB debuts.

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Outfielder Jarred Kelenic, the No. 4 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, and right-hander Logan Gilbert (No. 28 overall) will take the field against the Indians, who have had a great month of May so far, including a thrilling walk-off victory over the Cubs on Wednesday. You don't want to miss this matchup, so be sure to tune in to MLB.TV's Free Game of the Day (Blackout restrictions apply, although live audio still will be available through MLB.TV in local markets.). First pitch is scheduled for 10:15 p.m. ET from Seattle.

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Here's a quick breakdown of the matchup:

How they're doing:
Indians (20-14, 2nd in AL Central)
Mariners (18-19, 3rd in AL West)

Cleveland is rolling right now, having won eight of nine and right on the heels of the American League Central-leading White Sox. The Mariners, meanwhile, won 11 of their first 17 games this season, but since then are 7-13. The hope in Seattle is that Kelenic's arrival will spark a rejuvenation at the plate.

The matchup on the mound:
Indians -- Zach Plesac (2-3, 3.83 ERA in seven starts)
Mariners -- Logan Gilbert (MLB debut)

Plesac was uncharacteristically wild in his 5 2/3-inning outing against the White Sox in Chicago on May 2, walking four and striking out six, but he didn't yield a run and followed that up with eight scoreless innings against the Reds his last time out. Gilbert, a 6-foot-6 right-hander whose fastball clocks in at 97 mph, posted a 2.13 ERA in his first taste of professional baseball in 2019, pitching at the Class A, Class A Advanced and Double-A levels. In one Triple-A start this season, he gave up one run over five innings, walking none and striking out five for Tacoma.

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The player to watch
Kelenic (pronounced KELL-nick), who will bat leadoff and play left field for Seattle, has a knack for debuting with a flourish -- he homered in his Class A Advanced debut and hit two homers in his Triple-A debut just last week. Before the call-up to the big leagues, he was hitting .370 with a 1.043 OPS in his brief stint with Tacoma. And he's only 21 years old, on the cusp of his MLB debut fewer than three years after being drafted sixth overall in 2018 by the Mets. The Mariners landed him in the deal that sent Robinson Canó and Edwin Diaz to New York prior to the '19 season. In Spring Training earlier this year, he wowed again by hitting .300 with a pair of homers. You don't want to miss what this guy does next.

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Don't forget him
Just because Kelenic is set to make his debut, don't forget about another key outfielder in the Mariners' future plans, Kyle Lewis. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year Award winner struggled out of the gate at the plate, hitting only .184 through his first 13 games of the season after opening the campaign on the injured list. But over his last five games, he's hitting .381, so keep an eye on him.

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Picture this
Indians reliever James Karinchak, who got a huge strikeout in the top of the 10th inning of Wednesday's walk-off victory over the Cubs, leads all relievers with 33 strikeouts so far this season. According to Statcast, among relievers he's in the 99th percentile or better in expected batting average against, expected slugging percentage against, expected weighted on-base average against, whiff rate, strikeout rate and expected ERA. Pretty decent start to 2021 for the right-hander.

Number of note
The Indians are averaging 4.5 runs per game over their last nine games, of which they've won eight. In games that Cleveland's lineup has produced at least three runs, the club is 18-6 this season thanks to what has been a stellar starting rotation and lockdown bullpen in the early going.

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