Athletics at Mariners
The Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics make up the bottom two spots in the American League West standings and are both coming off disappointing weekends. One team will end a losing streak when the Mariners host the Athletics in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
Seattle is dealing with injuries to four-fifths of its starting rotation but is more concerned of late about the offense, which totaled six runs while dropping four straight at Toronto over the weekend. The Mariners played all four of those games without star second baseman Robinson Cano, who was out with a quad injury but is expected to return as soon as Monday to hopefully continue a hot streak that saw him blast four home runs in seven contests prior to going down. Oakland was swept in a three-game series at Texas over the weekend while allowing a total of 17 runs and is 2-11 in its last 13 road games. The Athletics hope to get a boost on Monday from the return of lefty Sean Manaea, who goes up against Mariners righty Yovani Gallardo.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports California (Oakland), ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Sean Manaea (1-2, 5.18 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Yovani Gallardo (1-3, 4.58)
Manaea is coming off the disabled list after going down with a strained left shoulder last month and was trending in the right direction with two solid starts before absorbing a loss at the Los Angeles Angels on April 26 and hitting the DL the next day. The Indiana native surrendered a total of two earned runs and five hits while striking out 12 in 11 innings in those two strong outings. Manaea's lone win came over Seattle on April 21 and he is 3-0 with a 3.91 ERA in four career starts against the Mariners.
Gallardo is trying to hold the Seattle rotation together as the lone healthy veteran and will try to snap a three-start winless streak on Monday. The Mexico native worked five innings at Philadelphia on Wednesday and was reached for three runs on four hits and three walks without factoring in the decision. Gallardo's lone win came at Oakland on April 23, when he struck out seven and scattered one run and four hits across a season-high 6 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners RHP Steve Cishek (hip) could come off the DL and make his season debut during the series.
2. Oakland RF Matt Joyce is 5-for11 with two homers and five RBIs in his last three games.
3. Seattle SS Jean Segura went 2-for-4 on Sunday to push his AL-best batting average to .371.