Seattle @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 22, 2016 ) Seattle 1, Detroit 5

The Seattle Mariners are not content to drift out of the race in the American League West and are making moves to stabilize a pitching staff that is becoming the team’s biggest weakness due to a series of injuries. The Mariners will try to avoid a sixth straight loss and a four-game sweep when they visit the Detroit Tigers in the finale on Thursday.

Seattle is trying to survive until starters Felix Hernandez (calf), Wade Miley (shoulder) and Taijuan Walker (foot) return, and the front office brought in veteran left-hander Wade LeBlanc on Wednesday in a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. LeBlanc is expected to start in place of Walker on Friday while Tom Wilhelmsen, who served as the team’s closer until being traded to Texas in 2015, was brought back on Wednesday to help stabilize the bullpen. The Tigers have taken advantage of slumping Seattle to move two games over .500 and are building momentum in advance of a key weekend series against the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians. Detroit has won eight of its last nine at home.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Adrian Sampson (0-1, 7.71 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (0-0, 0.00)

Sampson took over Miley’s spot in the rotation over the weekend and was rocked in his major-league debut, allowing four runs on eight hits – two home runs – over 4 2/3 innings in a loss at Boston on Saturday. The 24-year-old was 7-4 with a 3.25 ERA for Triple-A Tacoma before being recalled. Sampson has issued only 13 walks in 85 combined innings between the majors and the minors this season but yielded 89 hits.

Norris is getting a chance as Detroit shuffles its rotation to get rookie Michael Fulmer some extra rest and veteran Anibal Sanchez a chance to earn back a spot. Norris tossed a scoreless inning of relief at Baltimore on May 12 in his only previous big league appearance this season and is 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 19 career major-league games – 14 starts. The 23-year-old is 4-6 with a 4.68 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A Toledo.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers LF Justin Upton went 0-for-4 on Wednesday to snap an 11-game hitting streak.

2. Seattle optioned RHP Jonathan Aro to Triple-A Tacoma to clear a spot for Wilhemsen.

3. Detroit rookie OF Steven Moya is 6-for-13 with three home runs in his last three games.

PREDICTION: Tigers 6, Mariners 2