Astros at Mariners
Two teams hoping to make a second-half run at American League West-leading Texas meet Friday as the Seattle Mariners begin a three-game series against the visiting Houston Astros. Seattle sits 8 1/2 games behind the Rangers while the surging Astros have gone 31-13 since May 23 to pull within 5 1/2 games of first place.
Seattle has been plagued by inconsistent play and was swept by the Astros in a three-game series at Houston earlier this month, but it has the type of offense that could carry the club into the postseason. Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager and Nelson Cruz rank among the league leaders in multiple categories, while the first-base platoon of Adam Lind and Dae-Ho Lee has combined for 25 home runs. Cano is hitting .463 with six homers and 19 RBIs in 10 games this season against the Astros, who were 7-17 in April but are seven games over .500 at the break for the second consecutive season. “We haven't played our best, but I’ll take my team against any team in the league,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters. “I don't know what that means. I don’t know what declaration that is, but I like my team the best.”
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston, Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Doug Fister (8-6, 3.55 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (2-3, 3.91)
Fister was the hard-luck loser last Thursday against Oakland, allowing just two runs and three hits over eight strong innings. The 32-year-old has lost three straight outings after winning his previous seven decisions. Lind is 2-for-17 while Seager is 5-for-16 with a home run against Fister, who is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in five career starts against the Mariners - including 1-1 with a 4.38 ERA in two outings earlier this season.
Paxton has provided a much-needed boost to Seattle's rotation by going 2-2 with a 3.63 ERA and 38 strikeouts in his last seven starts. The 27-year-old allowed two runs while throwing an efficient 78 pitches over eight innings in last Thursday’s outing against Kansas City. Paxton, who has worked at least six frames in five of his last seven starts, yielded two runs and struck out seven over seven innings in his only previous turn against the Astros on April 30, 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle RHP Felix Hernandez (calf) remains on schedule to return from the disabled list on July 20.
2. Houston OF Colby Rasmus missed the last four games before the All-Star break with an ear infection but is expected to return Friday.
3. The Mariners have gone 7-2 over their last nine home contests.