Mariners at Rangers
Felix Hernandez has experienced a lot of change during his brilliant 11-year career with the Seattle Mariners, although one thing has remained the same: no postseason appearances. The six-time All-Star will begin the arduous task of trying to end his team's 15-year playoff drought Monday when the Mariners visit the Texas Rangers in the season opener for both teams.
Since Lou Piniella guided Seattle to the postseason in his penultimate season as the team's skipper in 2001, eight managers have failed to get the Mariners back - a revolving door the club hopes new manager Scott Servais can bring to an end. Hernandez has typically made life easy on Opening Day for each of his managers over that stretch, going 7-0 with a 1.71 ERA in nine such starts. Texas took advantage of a late-season collapse by the Houston Astros to win the American League West, but last season also left a bitter taste in the Rangers' mouth after they failed to close out the Toronto Blue Jays in the best-of-five AL Division Series despite taking the first two games. Cole Hamels, who went 7-1 with a 3.66 ERA after being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline, will try to outduel Hernandez and get Texas its first win in an opener since 2012.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET; ESPN, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (2015: 18-9, 3.53 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Cole Hamels (2015: 13-8, 3.65)
Hernandez will make his eighth straight Opening Day appearance - the longest such streak in the majors - and take the mound in a season opener for a club-record ninth time Monday. The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner had his way last year with the Rangers, holding them to a .168 average while going 5-0 with a 1.83 ERA. Hernandez has dominated Prince Fielder (2-for-25) and Rougned Odor (2-for-17) throughout his career and is 25-12 with a 2.50 ERA in 51 April outings.
Hamels won each of his four decisions at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in 2015, fanning at least eight in five of his last seven starts at the venue following the trade. The three-time All-Star faced the Mariners four times over that two-month stretch, going 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA and capping it off with a 12-strikeout effort in his last start against them on Sept. 19. Robinson Cano has faced Hamels more than any other Seattle hitter, but is only 3-for-18 against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Seattle went 12-7 against Texas in 2015, including 6-3 in Arlington.
2. Hamels will be the eighth different Opening Day starter in as many years for the Rangers.
3. Mariners 2B Robison Cano ended 2015 on a 16-game hitting streak, the longest active streak in the majors at the end of the season.