Mariners GameDay — April 20 vs. Texas
Game #12: Mariners (6–5) vs. Rangers (2–8) | First Pitch: 6:40 pm PT | T-Mobile Park
Starting Pitchers: RH Logan Gilbert (1–0,0.90) vs. RH Dane Dunning (0–0,5.19)
Radio: Seattle Sports (710 AM) and Mariners.com
TV: ROOT SPORTS
Live Stats: MLB Gameday (live box score with pitch-by-pitch data)
Starting Lineups: Starting lineups will be posted on MarinersMedia.com and Twitter when they become available
Pronunciations: Name pronunciations for the Mariners 40-man roster can be found on Mariners.com.
AS YOU KNOW…in 11 games this season, the Mariners bullpen is 1–0 with 2 saves and a 2.27 ERA (9 ER, 35.2 IP) with 10 walks and 43 strikeouts, but…DID YOU KNOW?…that the Mariners bullpen ranks in the top 2 in nearly every pitching category in the American League?…Seattle relievers lead the AL in WHIP (0.869), walk-per-9 innings (2.52), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.3), opponent batting average (.165), opponent OPS (.526) and sOPS+ (61)…they rank 2nd in ERA (2.27) and strikeouts-per-9 innings (10.85).
TONIGHT’S TILT…the Mariners continue their first homestand of the season tonight with the 2nd of 3 games against the Texas Rangers (1–0)…the Mariners are coming off their first series victory of the season, taking 2 of 3 from the Astros…they will welcome the Kansas City Royals (3 G; 4/22–4/24) to T-Mobile Park to conclude their opening homestand…tonight’s game will be televised live on ROOT SPORTS with Aaron Goldsmith and Mike Blowers on the call…the game will also be broadcast live on Seattle Sports (710 AM) with Rich Waltz and Ryan Rowland-Smith.
ODDS AND ENDS…the Mariners defeated the Rangers by a 6–2 score last night to get above the .500 mark…they improved to 3–1 in series openers this season…Seattle is 5–2 when scoring at least 4 runs and 1–3 when scoring 3 or fewer runs this season.
- Bomb Barrage — Seattle homered 3 times in last night’s victory (Eugenio Suárez, Jarred Kelenic, Abraham Toro)…they have homered in 9 of 11 games this season and have been shut out in the other 2 contests…the Mariners are 6–3 in games when they record a home run.
NEGRÓN TO SERVE AS ACTING MANAGER…Mariners manager Scott Servais and third base coach Manny Acta will miss tonight’s game (COVID-19)…first base coach Kristopher Negrón will serve as acting manager…hitting coach Tony Arnerich will serve as third base coach…Triple-A Tacoma coach Zach Vincej (#99) will serve as first base coach…also joining the Marinres coaching staff in the dugout will be minor league hitting coordinator CJ Gillman and special assignment coordinator Dan Wilson.
TODAY’S MOVES…right-hander Penn Murfee (#56) has been selected by Seattle from Triple-A Tacoma…in 5 games with the Rainiers this season, he is 2–0 with 2 saves and a 0.00 ERA (0 ER, 8.0 IP) with 1 hit allowed, 2 walks and 10 strikeouts…Murfee’s first appearance will mark the 27-year-old’s Major League debut…in a corresponding move, right-hander Paul Sewald was placed on the Injured List.
TREMENDOUS AGAINST TEXAS…the Mariners hold an active 6-game winning streak against Texas and a 22–8 (.733) record against them over the last 2 seasons…the Mariners are 16–2 (.889) over their last 18 games at T-Mobile Park against Texas.
BULLPEN BULLIES…Andrés Muñoz leads the Mariners bullpen in strikeouts (9)…Erik Swanson has not allowed a run through his first 3 appearances (4.1 IP)…Diego Castillo and Drew Steckenrider have each registered a save and pace the bullpen in innings pitched (5.0), while Muñoz, Steckenrider (2), Paul Sewald, Sergio Romo and Anthony Misiewicz have each recorded at least 1 hold…Justus Sheffield has yet to allow a hit or run through 2 appearances (1.2 IP), while Matt Festa has walked just 1 with 8 strikeouts.
J.K. ROLLING…Jarred Kelenic hit his 2nd home run of the season last night, a solo blast in the 2nd inning off Texas starter Jon Gray…each of his 2 home runs have hit the right field foul pole…his home run last night had an exit velocity of 110.2 mph, while his homer on April 14 at Chicago-AL was clocked at 114.0 mph (the hardest-hit home run by a left-handed batter this season)…in his last 5 games, he is batting .278 (5x18) with 4 runs scored, 1 double, 2 home runs, 4 RBI, 1 walk, 1 stolen base and a sacrifice fly.
YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE FRANCING…in 11 games this season, Ty France is batting .268 (11x41) with 5 runs, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 9 RBI, 5 walks and 3 hit-by-pitches, with a .388 on-base percentage, .463 slugging percentage and .851 OPS…in 82 games since the 2021 All-Star Break, he is batting .314 (100x318) with 51 runs, 14 doubles, 1 triple, 12 home runs, 45 RBI, 25 walks and 17 hit-by-pitches…his .392 on-base percentage and 142 times on base both lead the American League in that span.
GOOD VIBES ONLY…Eugenio Suárez hit a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 1st last night, his 3rd of the season and tying him with Mitch Haniger for the team lead…Suárez leads the team with 6 extra-base hits (3 doubles, 3 home runs) this season and ranks 2nd on the team with 8 RBI (Ty France, 9 RBI).
RESPECT…WALK…the Mariners offense has drawn 44 walks this season, ranking 2nd in the American League to only Baltimore (47)…Jesse Winker leads the AL in walks (12) and is tied for 2nd in the Majors with Seiya Suzuki-CHC and Matt Olson-ATL, with the trio trailing only Juan Soto-WSH (13)…the Mariners have drawn at least 6 walks in a game 4 times this season, going 3–1 in those contests.
YESTERDAY’S MOVES…first baseman Mike Ford was selected by Seattle from Triple-A Tacoma…in 11 games with the Rainiers this season, Ford is batting .317 (13x41) with 10 runs, 1 double, 2 home runs, 5 RBI and 5 walks…catcher Luis Torrens was placed on the Injured List.
ANDRÉS THE GIANT…right-hander Andrés Muñoz has made 4 relief appearances for the Mariners this season, going 1–0 with 1 hold and a 4.50 ERA (2 ER, 4.0 IP) with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts…he struck out 9 consecutive batters across 4 appearances from April 9–17, breaking a 7-way tie to set a franchise record.
