Mariners at Rangers
The Texas Rangers have severely hurt their wild-card chances with some poor play in July, but perhaps a homestand against some lesser opponents will help keep them afloat into August. The Rangers begin a five-game stay in Arlington against a pair of last-place teams when they host the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday for the first of two games.
Sunday's 6-5 loss in Oakland on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth gave Texas a 7-17 mark since June 28 and dropped the club to .500, a mark they haven't been below since before Memorial Day. Danny Santana and Nomar Mazara both slugged their 15th home run in the loss as the Rangers capped a 3-7 road trip. Included in that trip was a loss against Mike Leake and the Mariners last Wednesday, and Leake will try to duplicate his strong performance when he takes the mound Tuesday for Seattle. Ariel Jurado gets the nod for Texas, which entered Monday's play 6 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot in the American League.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, ROOT Sports Northwest (Seattle), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Mike Leake (9-8, 4.25 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Ariel Jurado (6-6, 4.83)
Leake followed up his near-perfect game against the Los Angeles Angels two turns ago with seven solid innings against the Rangers. He allowed three runs and struck out seven with no walks. The Arizona State product gave up 16 runs (12 earned) in 10 innings over two previous starts against Texas this year and has had his issues with Hunter Pence (18-for-45 against Leake), Mazara (8-for-19) and Santana (6-for-12).
Jurado pitched the Rangers to one of their three wins on the rocky road trip when he allowed three runs in seven frames at Oakland on Thursday. The 23-year-old gave up 16 runs in 15 innings over his previous three starts. He has only faced Seattle in relief this year, tossing three scoreless innings, but finished 2018 with a pair of strong outings against the Mariners in which he let up two runs in 11 total innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Santana, who has multiple hits in 11 of his last 16 games, is day-to-day after leaving Sunday's game with left calf stiffness.
2. Seattle's current five-game winning streak is one shy of matching its season high set April 6-11.
3. Texas has won seven of the last eight meetings at home.