In a heartwarming moment, Mitch Garver received his World Series ring from his former team, the Texas Rangers, before his current team, the Seattle Mariners, faced off against them. The Mariners emerged victorious with a 4-0 win, thanks to home runs from Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, and strong pitching from Logan Gilbert. Garver expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to relive the championship experience and emphasized that he will use it as motivation for the Mariners’ playoff run.
Logan Gilbert’s dominant pitching and Julio Rodriguez’s first home run of the season led the Seattle Mariners to a 4-0 shutout victory over the Texas Rangers, propelling the Mariners to the top of the AL West standings. Gilbert’s 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball, coupled with Raleigh’s two-run homer in the first inning, proved too much for the Rangers, who have now lost six of their last ten games and fallen under .500 for the first time under manager Bruce Bochy.
Julio Rodríguez broke out of his early-season slump with a 434-foot home run in the third inning of the Seattle Mariners’ 4-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night. The two-run shot gave the Mariners an early lead and proved to be the game-winning hit. Rodríguez now has a seven-game hitting streak and has raised his batting average from .186 to .278. Cal Raleigh also homered for the Mariners, his sixth of the season. The Mariners now lead the AL West with a record of 12-11.
The Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, the top two teams in the AL West, will face off in Arlington for a three-game series starting Tuesday. The Rangers currently hold a slight edge in the standings with a 12-11 record, while the Mariners are 11-11. Seattle is coming off a hot week, having swept the Cincinnati Reds and taking two of three from the Colorado Rockies. The Rangers, meanwhile, have gone 5-5 in their last ten games.
The pitching matchups for the series are as follows:
**Game 1:** RHP Logan Gilbert (1-0, 2.33 ERA) vs. RHP Dane Dunning (2-1, 3.91 ERA)
**Game 2:** RHP Bryce Miller (3-1, 1.85 ERA) vs. RHP Jon Gray (0-1, 3.15 ERA)
**Game 3:** RHP Luis Castillo (1-4, 4.40 ERA) vs. LHP Andrew Heaney (0-1, 6.35 ERA)
The Rangers will be looking to get off to a good start in the series with Dunning on the mound in Game 1. Gray, who has been excellent in his last two starts, could move to the bullpen if the Rangers need length from their starters. Heaney, who has struggled in his first few outings, will need to give the Rangers a solid outing in Game 3.
The Mariners will counter with Gilbert, Miller, and Castillo, three of their most consistent starting pitchers. Gilbert has been a bedrock early, while Miller has thrown six innings of one run ball in his last two outings. Castillo, the usual ace of the staff, earned his first victory of the season with a solid seven-inning, shutout performance against the Rockies.
The Rangers are slowly getting closer to full strength with the return of Nathaniel Lowe and Jonah Heim. Josh Sborz could also come off the IL during the series. With Lowe, Heim, and Sborz back in the mix, Texas will be a step closer to having their full, expected roster on the field.
This is the first time that these two teams have met since the final series of the 2023 regular season, where Seattle spoiled Texas’ pursuit of the AL West crown. Now Texas is seeking a repeat World Series trip, and will strive to maintain a hold on first place against their division rivals.
