Mariners at Rangers
Felix Hernandez is pitching for a job somewhere in the majors next season in his remaining outings this season. Hernandez will be on the mound for the second time since returning from a shoulder injury when the Seattle Mariners visit the Texas Rangers on Thursday for the opener of their four-game series.
Hernandez is in the final season of a seven-year, $175 million contract, and the general feeling is that his 15th season with the Mariners will be his last. Seattle was swept of a three-game home set by the New York Yankees, but Kyle Seager belted a two-run homer in Wednesday's 7-3 loss - his ninth blast of the month. Texas blanked the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 on Wednesday for just its second win in six games. Rougned Odor struck out as a pinch-hitter in the series finale and is hitless in 25 at-bats over his last eight contests.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (1-4, 6.09 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Lance Lynn (14-9, 3.85)
Hernandez gave up a pair of solo homers among three hits in 5 2/3 innings against Toronto on Saturday in his first major-league start in nearly 3 1/2 months. The 33-year-old is just 15-23 over the last two-plus seasons, a sharp decline for a former Cy Young Award winner and the owner of the most victories (169) in franchise history. Hernandez is 19-25 with a 4.18 ERA in 57 career starts against Texas, including a 7-12 record and 4.53 ERA in 27 turns at Globe Life Park.
Lynn is 0-3 over his last four starts and is looking to rebound from a mixed outing. The 32-year-old registered 10 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings while losing to the Chicago White Sox but was shelled for seven runs and 11 hits. Lynn is 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 20 frames in three starts against the Mariners this year and 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA in four career outings versus the club.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers UTIL Danny Santana struck out in each of his five at-bats on Wednesday and is 2-for-27 with 14 strikeouts in his last six games.
2. Mariners DH Daniel Vogelbach is hitless in 15 at-bats over his last four games and a meager 8-for-67 in August.
3. Texas is 9-6 versus Seattle this season.