Rangers at Mariners
The Texas Rangers used a 47-29 record inside their division last year to create the nine-game gap between themselves and the Seattle Mariners, allowing them to win the American League West going away. The Rangers are off to a good start in repeating that success in the West this season after winning their last two series against division rivals and hope to carry that momentum into Seattle over the weekend as the teams begin a three-game set.
Texas opened 2017 by getting swept at home by Cleveland, but the two-time defending division champion has proved its mettle since by taking two of three from Oakland and doing the same in Los Angeles against the Angels. While the Rangers didn't exactly struggle to score against the Indians (14 total runs), they are averaging 6.7 runs since that series - a mark that includes a game in which they scored once in a loss to the Athletics last weekend. The Mariners got a day off Thursday after matching their worst 10-game start since 2004 one day earlier, losing for the fifth time in six contests to fall to 2-8. Seattle has struggled in a number of phases, ranking 26th in the majors in hitting (.208), 26th in ERA (4.94) and last in opponent's batting average (.290).
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (1-1, 2.38 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (0-1, 4.09)
Perez continued to struggle with his control Sunday against Oakland as he issued three more walks to give him seven in 11 1/3 innings, but he worked around six hits to toss 5 1/3 scoreless frames en route to a win. The 26-year-old will pitch on the road for the first time in 2017 hoping to forget about last season's woes away from home (2-8, 5.78 ERA). One of his two road victories came at Seattle's expense, however, as Perez went 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four overall starts against the Mariners in 2016.
Hernandez did not factor in the decision of Saturday's 5-4 road loss to the Angels, giving up three runs and 10 hits in six innings during his 100-pitch outing. The six-time All-Star has 12 recorded strikeouts without issuing a walk in 11 frames, but he already has surrendered three home runs and 15 hits, allowing opponents to bat .333 against him thus far. Hernandez went 1-2 with a 7.47 ERA in three turns versus the Rangers last season, falling to 18-23 - his most losses against any opponent - with a 3.95 ERA in 50 career starts.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rangers have homered at least once in each of their first nine contests, one short of tying the club record set in 2009.
2. With 10 runs scored, Mariners RF Mitch Haniger is seven shy of tying Ken Griffey Jr. (1989) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001) for the team record by a rookie in April.
3. Texas' 28 home runs against Seattle last year were the most it hit against any opponent since 2012.