Rangers at Mariners
Robinson Cano and Adrian Beltre have combined for 12 All-Star Game appearances and figure to be remembered as two of the most successful Dominican players in major-league history, but neither one is likely to help their respective clubs anytime soon. A pair of American League West rivals missing key run producers renew acquaintances Tuesday when the Seattle Mariners host the Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series.
Cano was placed on the 10-day disabled list Monday with a fractured fifth metacarpal on his right hand, one day after he was hit by a pitch in Detroit. Seattle continued its month-long pattern of alternating wins and losses in its first game without him on Monday, as Dee Gordon scored on a throwing error in the eighth inning for the game's only run against Minnesota. Beltre is likely headed back to the DL after he aggravated the same hamstring injury he returned from less than a week ago after missing 12 games. While the Rangers have been significantly better on the road (9-10) than at home (7-16), they hope they can find some offense without their cleanup hitter after scoring exactly one run in every game while dropping two of three in Houston over the weekend.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Mike Minor (3-2, 4.72 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Mike Leake (4-3, 5.72)
Minor watched his five-game unbeaten streak come to an end last Tuesday against Detroit via the long ball, giving up three homers among the five runs and seven hits he surrendered in a season-high seven frames. The home run total matched the number he allowed in his first six turns combined, and the Vanderbilt product has produced only two quality starts. Minor enjoyed one of his best outings of the season April 20 against Seattle, yielding one run and fanning six over 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision.
Leake won for the second time in three trips to the mound Thursday in Toronto, permitting two runs on six hits while striking out six across seven innings. The outing was the 30-year-old's first quality start since April 13 and only his third in eight turns this season. Leake, who is allowing opponents to hit .328 the first time through the order, is 1-1 with a 1.99 ERA in five career starts against the Rangers - including 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two September outings last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners SS Jean Segura is batting .375 with five doubles, one triple, one homer and 24 RBIs with runners in scoring position.
2. Texas is one of two teams (New York Yankees) to avoid a shutout in 2018.
3. Seattle INF Gordon Beckham was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to replace Cano on Monday and went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his season debut.