St. Louis @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 25, 2016 ) St. Louis 4, Seattle 5

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny isn't sure who will take the mound Sunday if the Cardinals have a save opportunity in their series finale against the host Seattle Mariners, but it won’t be longtime closer Trevor Rosenthal. Matheny moved the struggling Rosenthal out of the closer's role on Saturday after the right-hander blew his third save opportunity of the season in a 4-3 loss the previous night.

Seung Hwan Oh, Kevin Siegrist and Jonathan Broxton each will receive save opportunities in place of Rosenthal, who has served as the team’s closer since late 2013 but owns a 5.63 ERA this season. “We just need to figure out a way to get him right and figure out how to get him to the point of being the pitcher that he's been the last few years,” Matheny told reporters. “We’ll continue to watch, but right now we're going to wait and see if we can get him into some spots to get him in that good place.” The Cardinals will try to salvage the final game of the series against Seattle, which has won two straight following a season-high six-game losing streak. Dae-Ho Lee delivered a two-run single in Saturday’s 5-4 victory and is batting .277 with 10 home runs for the Mariners, who are 8-1 against the National League this season.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), ROOT (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals LH Jaime Garcia (5-6, 3.83 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (1-3, 3.34)

Garcia earned his first win in four June starts on Monday limiting the Cubs to two runs with six strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old struck out more than four batters for the first time since fanning eight against the Los Angeles Angels on May 11. Garcia is facing Seattle for the first time since June 16, 2010, when he allowed two runs in seven innings while throwing 111 pitches in a 2-1 loss at Busch Stadium.

Paxton saw his streak of three straight quality starts come to an end Tuesday as the Canadian allowed four runs and 11 hits over 7 2/3 innings in a 4-2 loss at Detroit. “I feel like I threw the ball really well,” Paxton told reporters. “It was unfortunate we didn't get the win today, but it was good. I was able to go deep and give the bullpen guys some rest.” Brandon Moss is 2-for-2 with a home run against Paxton, who made the second start of his career against the Cardinals on Sept. 14, 2013 and recorded the victory with six scoreless frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis 1B Matt Adams has missed the last two games due to a sore back but could return Sunday.

2. Seattle announced RHP Adrian Sampson will require season-ending surgery to repair his elbow.

3. Cardinals SS Aledmys Diaz has recorded two home runs and six RBI over his last three games.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 6, Mariners 4