Mariners at Athletics
The surging Oakland Athletics are one of the hottest teams in baseball and are fortifying their roster in front of the trade deadline with a postseason spot the goal. The Athletics will try to stay hot when they host the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday in the opener of a two-game series.
Oakland swept the Chicago White Sox coming out of the All-Star break over the weekend and is 17-5 over the last 22 games to move into the second American League wild card spot and keep the Houston Astros within shouting distance in the AL West. The Athletics made a move to shore up the back end of the rotation on Sunday by trading for veteran right-hander Homer Bailey, with veteran left-hander Brett Anderson telling reporters of the move: "It shows they're trying to do things to make us better and trying to go further than we went last year." The Mariners are sitting in the basement of the AL West and are losers of 11 of the last 13 after being swept in a three-game series at the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend. Seattle will try to snap its slide by turning to left-hander Marco Gonzales while Oakland counters with righty Daniel Mengden on Tuesday.
TV: 10:07 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), NBCS California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (10-7, 4.24 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (4-1, 4.73)
Gonzales is making his second straight start against Oakland after allowing two runs and five hits in eight innings to earn a win on July 6. The 27-year-old yielded three or fewer earned runs in each of his last six outings and is 5-1 in that span. Gonzales is making his fourth start of the season against the Athletics and went 3-0 while posting a 2.57 ERA in the first three chances.
Mengden started at Seattle on July 7 and scattered three runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings to post a win in his third straight start. The 26-year-old is trying to secure his spot on Oakland's pitching staff with Sean Manaea (shoulder) and Jharel Cotton (elbow) on minor league rehab assignments and is making his seventh start among nine appearances. Mengden tossed four innings at home in a start against Seattle on May 24 and allowed one run while walking five.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mariners SS J.P. Crawford is 4-for-38 over the last 11 games.
2. Athletics RHP Liam Hendricks owns an 18-inning scoreless streak.
3. Oakland sent Double-A INF Kevin Merrell to Kansas City in exchange for Bailey.