Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners Pitching Probables Showcases Aces, Rising Stars

The Texas Rangers start a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners on Friday at T-Mobile Park and each games features an All-Star or a rising star in the game.

Friday’s and Saturday’s games will start at 8:40 p.m. central. Sunday’s finale will start at 3:10 p.m., after which the Rangers will fly back to Arlington to start a six-game homestand.

Each game will feature some of the best pitchers in the game, starting with Friday’s showdown between Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom and Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller.

deGrom (0-0, 3.38) is a four-time All-Star and a two-time Cy Young winner who is looking for his first decision of the season in his third start. The 36-year-old has gone at least five innings in each of his first two starts, but has allowed 10 hits and four runs, most of which came in his second start last weekend.

Miller (0-2, 5.73) is in his third MLB season and the 26-year-old Texas native is looking for his first win. He’s pitched 11 innings, giving up 13 hits and seven runs. He’s struck out eight and walked five. Last season he broke through with a 12-8 record and a 2.94 ERA.

Saturday’s showdown is between Rangers rookie right-hander Kumar Rocker and Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo.

Rocker (0-1, 7.86) bounced back from an awful outing in his season debut to throw five innings against the Tampa Bay Rays last weekend. He gave up six hits, but only one run as he took a no decision. Entering the season he was considered a candidate for American League rookie of the year.

Woo (1-0, 3.75) is one of the game’s young emerging pitchers. In his third season in the Majors he is coming off a second start in which he went six innings. He gave up five hits, four runs and a walk while striking out six against the San Francisco Giants. Last season he went 9-3 with a .289 ERA in 22 starts.

Sunday’s finale pits Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi and Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert. Eovaldi has been to a pair of All-Star games, while Gilbert has been selected to one.

Eovaldi (1-1, 2.29) is coming off his first loss of the season, as he delivered 4.2 innings on Monday against the Chicago Cubs, giving up four hits, three runs and two walks against four strikeouts. He was coming off a complete-game shutout in his second start of the campaign.

Gilbert (0-1, 2.55) threw 5.2 innings in his last start, giving up one hit and one earned run in a no-decision. He allowed two walks and struck out seven. In his second start he struck out 10 hitters in a loss.

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