Great Pitching Matchups Await Huge Rangers-Mariners Showdown for AL West Lead

The Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners have set their probable pitchers for their huge four-game series that starts on Friday.

Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The stakes couldn't be much higher for the Texas Rangers as they prepare to host the Seattle Mariners for a four-game series at Globe Life Field that starts on Friday.

And both teams couldn't have set up their pitching matchups much better.

Both the Rangers and the Mariners are off on Thursday so their race to win the American League West Division remains static going into Friday's opener.

The Rangers (51-51), who just lost two out of three games to the Chicago White Sox, remain one-half game ahead of the Mariners, (51-52) who lost two out of three games to the Cincinnati Reds.

Texas and Seattle knew this was coming. The race was going to be close coming out of the All-Star break and how the Rangers deployed their rotation in Atlanta now makes sense as every pitching matchup in this series has a certain level of gravity, especially the weekend games.

Aces vs. Aces in Arlington

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Friday’s contest, set for 7:05 p.m. features Texas left-hander MacKenzie Gore (6-8, 4.80) against Seattle right-hander Bryce Miller (4-4, 2.27). Gore has been grinding of late, as he is 2-3 with a 5.90 ERA in his last seven starts. His previous start against Atlanta saw him claim the win as he gave up six hits and five earned runs in 5.2 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Miller is just 3-4 in his last seven starts, but he has a 2.55 ERA and has struck out 51 batters and walked seven with a 0.90 WHIP. He lost his last start to San Francisco, giving up seven hits and two earned runs in 5.2 innings.

Saturday’s game, set for 6:05 p.m., features Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (9-8, 4.21) against Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (7-6, 4.16).

Eovaldi took the loss against Atlanta last Sunday as he gave up six hits and four earned runs in four innings. He is 4-2 with a 4.43 ERA in his last seven starts. Woo took a no-decision in his last start against San Francisco, as he gave up six hits and two earned runs in six innings. He is 2-3 with a 5.45 ERA in his last seven starts.

Sunday’s game, set for 1:35 p.m., features Texas right-hander Jacob deGrom (7-6, 3.76) against Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert (8-6, 3.38).

deGrom took a loss against the White Sox on Monday as he allowed seven hits and five earned runs in 4.2 innings. He is 3-2 with a 4.20 ERA in his last seven games. Gilbert won his last start against San Francisco as he gave up four hits and three earned runs in six innings. He is 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA in his last seven starts.

Monday’s finale, set for 1:35 p.m., features Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker (3-8, 4.13) against Mariners right-hander George Kirby (8-8, 3.57).

Rocker won his last start against the White Sox on Tuesday as he gave up one hit in six innings. He is 1-3 with a. 5.14 ERA in his last seven starts. Kirby won his last start against Cincinnati as he gave up three hits in six innings. He is 3-4 with a 3.21 ERA in his last seven starts.