Nathan Eovaldi, one of this season’s toughest pitchers, leads the way for the Texas Rangers (37-20) as they face off against the Seattle Mariners (29-29) at Globe Life Field on Sunday with the home team eyeing a sweep of the three-game series.
The Rangers lead the series 2-0 after winning 16-6 on Saturday, their fourth head-to-head victory in five games this season. Reliever Josh Sborz threw two scoreless innings to get the win.
Marcus Semien’s hitting streak is now at 22 games as he went 4 for 6 with a home run and two doubles in the win. He scored four runs and had three RBIs. Nathaniel Lowe went 3 for 6 with a home run and three RBIs. Ty France was 3 for 5 with a double, one run, and one RBI for the Mariners.
ON THE MOUND
Bryce Miller (3-2, 3.00 ERA) is in line for the start for Seattle. The RHP allowed eight runs over 4.2 innings in his last start, a 10-4 road defeat against the Yankees on Monday. He was charged with the loss, yielding 11 hits while striking out three.
Right-hander Eovaldi (7-2, 2.42 ERA) will toe the rubber for Texas. It’s his first appearance of the season against the Mariners. Eovaldi made one start against the Mariners in 2022, throwing 6.2 innings for the Red Sox in an 8-4 home win on May 22.
He gave up four hits and walked one while striking out 11 in the no-decision. In his last start on Monday, Eovaldi got the win on the road against the Tigers. He threw five scoreless innings and gave up four hits, striking out four and walking three in the 5-0 victory. The RHP is tied for second in the AL in wins and fifth in ERA.
AT THE PLATE
Over the last five games, Seattle has averaged only 2.6 runs a game, down from their season average of 4.4, while performing worse across the board (.205/.271/.265). Against right-handed pitchers like Eovaldi this season, the M’s have a .685 OPS.
J.P. Crawford is the team’s best hitter against right-handers with a .825 OPS in 126 at-bats. Texas is averaging 7.0 runs per game in the last five, up slightly from 6.4 for the season. The Rangers have a .785 OPS against right-handers in 2023, the third highest in the league. With a .907 OPS over 168 at-bats, Semien has been their best hitter against right-handers.
HOME AND AWAY
Seattle is on a three-game losing streak away from T-Mobile Park, bringing their record to 12-14 in 2023. The M’s have scored 4.5 runs per game away from home while allowing 4.5 runs. Texas has won five in a row at their home park.
The Rangers are 18-8 at home this season, averaging 7.0 runs per game while surrendering 4.3. In the last 10 games between the AL West rivals at Globe Life Field, Seattle is 6-4 despite an average scoreline favoring Texas (4.9-4.8).
STANDINGS UPDATE
The Rangers lead the AL West by two games over the Astros. The Mariners are third in the AL West, eight games behind the Rangers.
SportsTips’ MLB Pick:
Texas Rangers (-160)
Want up to a $1K risk-free bet for this pick?
Claim with 
today!
If you need more news, information, and predictions, head over to our MLB hub page for all your baseball needs!
*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
