Rangers at Mariners
Felix Hernandez found shutting down the bats of the Texas Rangers to be a rather easy deal last season. The Seattle Mariners’ ace looks for his 100th career victory when the Seattle Mariners open a four-game series against the visiting Rangers on Thursday. Hernandez allowed one run and nine hits in 17 innings over two starts against the Rangers last season, winning both outings while striking out 19 and walking two. Texas was blanked 2-0 by Tampa Bay on Wednesday.
Justin Grimm has been recalled to start for the Rangers after scheduled starter Matt Harrison (back) went on the disabled list Wednesday. “I just expect him to come and keep us in a ball game, that’s it,” Texas manager Ron Washington said. “He’s a strike thrower and I think he understands how he’s supposed to use those strikes. And if he comes up here and does that, I think he’ll be fine.” Seattle allowed 24 runs in getting trounced by the Houston Astros in the last two games.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Southwest (Texas), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Justin Grimm (NR) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (1-1, 2.57)
Grimm made one start at Triple-A Round Rock and gave up one run and four hits over 5 2/3 innings. The 24-year-old made five appearances for Texas last season, starting twice and going 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 14 innings. Grimm only got three outs in one of those starts while allowing six runs and eight hits against the Detroit Tigers.
Hernandez was strong in his first start and average in his second. He gave up four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings while losing to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, five days after blanking the Oakland Athletics on three hits over 7 2/3 innings in his season debut. Hernandez is 12-16 with a 3.76 ERA in 34 career starts against Texas.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas won the season series 10-9 in 2012, marking the fifth straight time and eighth in nine seasons that the Rangers have accomplished that.
2. Rangers SS Elvis Andrus (.314 in 51 at-bats) and OF David Murphy (.302 with two homers in 63 at-bats) have fared well against Hernandez.
3. Mariners OF Michael Saunders appears headed to the disabled list after injuring his right shoulder when he slammed into the fence during Wednesday’s game.