Mariners homestand preview: Opponents get tougher with Astros, Indians coming to town
The Seattle Mariners went on the road with the best record in baseball — and they’re coming home with it, too.
During a seven-game road trip, the Mariners took two of three from the Chigaco White Sox, and swept the Kansas City Royals to improve to a franchise-best 13-2 start. They have an active six-game winning streak.
The Mariners, in the middle of a 17-game stretch of consecutive playing days, are back in Seattle for six games, and the opponents only get tougher.
American League West rival Houston comes to town for a three-game series beginning Friday, and AL Central leader Cleveland arrives Monday for another three-game set.
All six games will be broadcast on television on Root Sports Northwest and radio on 710 ESPN.
MARINERS HOMESTAND PREVIEW
Friday — Opponent: Houston, 7:10 p.m. Pitching probables: Wade Miley (1-1, 2.31 ERA) vs. Wade LeBlanc (2-0, 4.76).
Saturday — Houston, 6:10 p.m. Justin Verlander (1-0, 4.24) vs. Felix Hernandez (1-0, 4.26).
Sunday — Houston, 1:10 p.m. Gerrit Cole (0-2, 3.32) vs. Marco Gonzales (4-0, 3.16).
Monday — Cleveland, 7:10 p.m. Trevor Bauer (1-1, 2.29) vs. Yusei Kikuchi (0-0, 4.15).
Tuesday — Cleveland, 7:10 p.m. Shane Bieber (1-0, 1.80) vs. Mike Leake (2-0, 4.15).
Wednesday — Cleveland, 3:40 p.m. Carlos Carrasco (1-1, 7.71) vs. Wade LeBlanc.
About the Astros (8-5): The Mariners (.295) may carry the best team batting average in the majors into this series, but Houston (.282) is a close second. The Astros’ lineup is as dangerous as usual, and their 121 hits this season trail only AL West rivals Seattle (149) and Oakland (139).
Six-time All-Star and 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve has a team-leading five home runs. Alex Bregman is questionable with a hamstring injury, but holds a team-best .341 batting average, and led the majors in doubles (51) in 2018. And, Houston added another hitter to their lineup in Michael Brantley, who spent the past 10 seasons with Cleveland, as a free agent in the offseason.
The Astros will also roll out their top three starters — though out of order — against Seattle. Miley, Houston’s normal No. 3, will pitch the opener, followed by Verlander and Cole.
Houston has won the past two AL West titles, and has advanced to the playoffs three times since joining the division in 2013.
About the Indians (8-4): If hosting a hot Houston team wasn’t enough, the Mariners then get three games against the three-time defending AL Central champs. But, they might be catching Cleveland at the right time.
Last season, the Indians had the second-best team batting average in the majors at .259. So far this season, their .186 average ranks last.
The offense is somewhat depleted with Francisco Lindor (ankle) out — and he’ll likely miss the series in Seattle. The fifth-year Cleveland shortstop started the season on the 10-day IL, and has yet to appear in a game. He tied reigning AL MVP Mookie Betts for most runs scored (129) in the majors last season, and his 183 hits ranked fourth in the AL. Cleveland veteran second baseman Jason Kipnis (calf) is also on the 10-day IL, and on a minor-league rehab assignment, but could return before the Indians travel to Seattle.
Still, there’s third baseman Jose Ramirez, an All-Star and Silver Slugger the past two seasons, who twice finished third in the AL MVP voting. He is off to a slow start, hitting just 6 of 39 (.154) in his first 11 games, but tied four fourth in the majors last season with 39 homers.
First baseman Carlos Santana, briefly a Mariner before he was sent to Cleveland in the Edwin Encarnacion deal in December, is on a hot streak. His .425 batting average ranks second in the AL, and his .521 on-base percentage third.
Seattle will miss Cleveland ace Corey Kluber, but Bauer might turn out to be the Indians’ most productive starter this season — and the Mariners see him in Game 1.
This story was originally published April 12, 2019 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Mariners homestand preview: Opponents get tougher with Astros, Indians coming to town."