A little more than a week ago, Seattle’s visit to Kansas City had the potential to be important for both teams in the American League wild-card race.
However, with the Mariners aiming for a 10th straight victory and the Royals mired in an untimely rough stretch, this three-game set that begins Tuesday night has lost some luster.
On Sept. 6, Kansas City won its third consecutive contest to stay one game behind Seattle for the final wild-card spot in the AL.
Since then, however, the Mariners (82-68) have outscored Atlanta, St. Louis and the Los Angeles Angels 66-23 during a nine-game winning streak. That has them one game ahead of Houston in the AL West race prior to the Astros’ home game Monday night against the Texas Rangers.
Their winning spree included Cal Raleigh’s 54th homer of the season on Sunday against the Angels, which matched Mickey Mantle for most single-season home runs by a switch-hitter.
“The job is not over,” Raleigh told ROOT Sports. “We still have a job to do out there and win every night. … Put ourselves in a good position.”
While the Mariners have been busy winning every night, the Royals (75-75) were busy getting outscored 42-27 during a 2-6 stretch that has dropped them six games behind the Astros for that final wild-card spot. Worse yet, the Rangers and the Cleveland Guardians have climbed over the Royals in the chase.
Catcher Salvador Perez has tried to keep the Royals afloat. He hit his 300th career home run Saturday at Philadelphia and finished the weekend with three homers in two games.
“You never know what’s going to happen in this game,” Perez told FanDuel Sports Network. “Keep playing hard until the last inning.”
Fresh off a 7-0 homestand, Seattle eyes a third consecutive road win. Meanwhile, as Raleigh looks to break Mantle’s record, he’s also two shy of matching Ken Griffey Jr.’s club-best 56 home runs in a season (set in 1997, equaled in ‘98).
Raleigh has hit four of his six career homers against the Royals at Kansas City. However, he is 0-for-12 with a walk and three strikeouts against scheduled Royals starter Michael Wacha (9-11, 3.45 ERA). Teammate J.P. Crawford, batting .348 over the last 14 games, is 7-for-17 with a home run against the veteran right-hander.
The Mariners used one big inning to get the best of Wacha during a 6-2 home win June 30. Wacha didn’t give up a run until the fourth, then allowed four in his fifth and final inning. Randy Arozarena took Wacha deep for a solo shot in the fourth and a three-run blast in the fifth.
Wacha is slated to come off the seven-day concussion list to make his first start since Sept. 5, when he yielded a run, two walks and four hits while striking out five in 5 2/3 innings of Kansas City’s 2-1 home win over Minnesota.
The Mariners counter with Logan Gilbert (4-6, 3.54 ERA), who is 1-1 with a 2.38 ERA in his last four starts. On Wednesday against the Cardinals, the right-hander allowed a solo homer among five hits and struck out eight in 4 2/3 innings during Seattle’s 4-2 victory in 13 innings.
Gilbert yielded only one run and three hits with seven strikeouts during a 3-2 win over Kansas City on July 2, but he only lasted 4 2/3 innings as he walked three.
Perez and fellow Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. are a combined 12-for-28 with three homers versus Gilbert.
–Field Level Media
