The Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners are headed into a four-game series at Globe Life Field with the American League West race sitting on a knife’s edge.
Texas enters Friday at 51-51, just a half-game in front of Seattle, which is 51-52. Both clubs were off Thursday, and both are coming off uneven series: the Rangers dropped two of three to the Chicago White Sox, while the Mariners lost two of three to the Cincinnati Reds.
What makes this matchup even more intriguing is the way the rotations line up. The series opens Friday at 7:05 p.m. with Texas left-hander MacKenzie Gore (6-8, 4.80) facing Seattle right-hander Bryce Miller (4-4, 2.27).
Gore has been in a rough stretch lately, going 2-3 with a 5.90 ERA over his last seven starts. In his most recent outing against Atlanta, he picked up the win after allowing six hits and five earned runs in 5.2 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Miller has been better on the run of play, even if the wins haven’t piled up. He is 3-4 in his last seven starts, but he has posted a 2.55 ERA, struck out 51 batters and walked seven while carrying a 0.90 WHIP. His last start ended in a loss to San Francisco after he allowed seven hits and two earned runs in 5.2 innings.
Saturday’s 6:05 p.m. game brings Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (9-8, 4.21) against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (7-6, 4.16).
Eovaldi took the loss against Atlanta last Sunday, giving up six hits and four earned runs in four innings. Over his last seven starts, he is 4-2 with a 4.43 ERA.
Woo did not factor into the decision in his last outing against San Francisco, when he allowed six hits and two earned runs in six innings. In his last seven starts, he is 2-3 with a 5.45 ERA.
Sunday’s 1:35 p.m. matchup features Texas right-hander Jacob deGrom (7-6, 3.76) against Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert (8-6, 3.38).
deGrom was tagged with the loss against the White Sox on Monday after allowing seven hits and five earned runs in 4.2 innings. He is 3-2 with a 4.20 ERA over his last seven games.
Gilbert won his last start against San Francisco, giving up four hits and three earned runs in six innings. Over his last seven starts, he is 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA.
The series wraps up Monday at 1:35 p.m., with Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker (3-8, 4.13) matched up against Mariners right-hander George Kirby (8-8, 3.57).
Rocker earned the win in his last start against the White Sox on Tuesday, allowing one hit in six innings. In his last seven starts, he is 1-3 with a 5.14 ERA.
Kirby also won his last outing, beating Cincinnati after giving up three hits in six innings. He is 3-4 with a 3.21 ERA in his last seven starts.
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One familiar name has surfaced as a possible fit because of the way the market and the Rangers needs line up. The pitcher in question has had a rough overall season with the Giants, but his recent run has been better, including a July stretch that suggests there may still be something usable there. For Texas, the appeal is obvious: a short-term fix, limited risk and a chance to patch a glaring hole without paying a premium, even if the final decision comes down to whether the front office believes the rebound is real. [Read more 🡒]
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Two New Rangers Arms Just Changed The Prospect Conversation
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For a club that has spent the past few years trying to keep its pipeline stocked, having two new arms jump into the conversation this quickly is a notable development. Rojas was a high-profile high school pitcher before turning pro, and Bumilas own prep resume made him one of the more intriguing additions in the class, giving Texas a pair of young pitchers worth tracking as they begin their pro careers. [Read more 🡒]