Mariners at Blue Jays
Kyle Seager is making the most of an otherwise difficult season for he and his Seattle Mariners, who take on the host Toronto Blue Jays in the rubber match of a three-game series Sunday. Seager, who missed the first 53 games of the year with a finger injury, hit a tiebreaking home run in the top of the eighth inning to lead Seattle to a 4-3 win Saturday afternoon.
The 31-year-old has six homers in 13 games this month and 10 RBIs over his last five games for the last-place Mariners. While Seager had another big hit Saturday, his counterpart at third base for the Blue Jays - star rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - left the contest due to left knee discomfort and will undergo an MRI. Rookie Bo Bichette went deep for Toronto, which had won 12 of its previous 18 games. The Blue Jays will try to improve to 4-0-2 in their last six series Sunday while utilizing a bullpen day led by opener Wilmer Font, while Seattle counters with rookie Yusei Kikuchi.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), Sportsnet, TVA, OMNI (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Yusei Kikuchi (4-8, 5.56 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Wilmer Font (3-2, 4.40)
Kikuchi has just one quality start over his last six turns after giving up five runs and nine hits across 3 1/3 innings at Detroit on Tuesday. He has served up 11 home runs over a span of five starts and surrendered 31 on the year - tied for the most in the American League. The 28-year-old, who is 2-3 with a 5.97 ERA on the road, will be facing the Blue Jays for the first time.
Font has worked as the opener four times in August while compiling 8 1/3 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and three hits allowed. Lefty Thomas Pannone is expected to follow Font and eat up most of the middle innings. The 25-year-old Pannone tossed four scoreless frames and picked up the win against Texas on Tuesday.
WALK-OFFS
1. Guerrero missed more than a month last season in the minors due to an issue in the same knee.
2. Mariners 1B Austin Nola is 7-for-16 during a four-game hitting streak.
3. Blue Jays RHP Derek Law has thrown 15 consecutive scoreless innings.