Mariners Game #86 Preview, 7/6/23: SEA at HOU

The Mariners start their final four-game set before the All-Star Break

After a sleepy loss to the Giants that somewhat dulled an otherwise rosy set of back-to-back series wins, the Mariners will attempt to prove the offensive improvements they’ve shown over the past few weeks have stuck with a long, four-game series against their division rivals, the Houston Astros.

The Astros have been scuffling by their lofty standards this season but have started to regain momentum with a series victory over the Rangers. However, they’ve recently lost José Altuve to an oblique injury and will be without him and fearsome slugger Yordan Álvarez this series. That doesn’t mean Seattle will have an easy path to victory, though—for starters, they’ll have to face the top of the Astros’ rotation this series, including the always-shutdown Framber Valdez. They’ll also be facing an Astros lineup that has started to come alive since the last time the Mariners saw them at T-Mobile Park, with Silver Slugger José Abreu seemingly coming out of his long first-half funk, Chas McCormick emerging as the next young Astros’ position player success story, and Kyle Tucker taking the All-Star reins in the injury-prone Álvarez’s stead. You can read more about the rejuvenated Astros in today’s series preview.

Lineups:

News:

• The Mariners DFA’d Tommy Milone and have selected the contract of RHP Isaiah Campbell, who will be in Houston with the team (luckily, a short flight from Arkansas). Read more about Campbell, including a scouting report, in John’s transaction analysis from earlier today.

Today’s game information:

Today’s first pitch will be at 5:10 PT. Angie Mentink and Aaron Goldsmith will have the television broadcast on ROOT Sports NW, while Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. will cover radio duties on 710 AM Seattle Sports.

Today in Mariners history:

• 1998: Ken Griffey Jr. wins the HR Derby at the All-Star Game at Coors Field. They say those baseballs were never heard from again.

• 2016 - Edwin Díaz passes Randy Johnson’s club record for consecutive outs via strikeout, with 11.