Seattle @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 16, 2014 ) Seattle 2, Detroit 4
It is starting to appear that six teams will battle down the stretch for the five American League playoff spots - with Detroit and Seattle two of them - as the Tigers host the Mariners on Sunday in the finale of their three-game series. Detroit evened the set with a 4-2 victory Saturday to move one-half game ahead of Seattle for the final wild-card spot while climbing within one-half game of first-place Kansas City in the Central. With Baltimore enjoying a comfortable lead in the AL East and Oakland and Los Angeles well clear of the AL West and remaining wild card competition, the Tigers find themselves in a dogfight with the upstart Mariners and Royals.
One area upon which Detroit must improve is the back end of the bullpen, as Joe Nathan tip-toed to another save Saturday - his 25th in 31 opportunities. Nathan's job could be in jeopardy as the Tigers purchased the contract of reliever Jim Johnson from Triple-A Toledo. Seattle's Chris Young hasn't lost in five starts while becoming a solid No. 3 behind Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma as he opposes Robbie Ray, who takes his second turn since replacing Anibal Sanchez in the rotation.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, TBS, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Chris Young (11-6, 3.20 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Robbie Ray (1-2, 5.31)
Young yielded one run and two hits in six innings of a 6-3 victory over Toronto on Tuesday and has pitched 140 2/3 frames this season - his most since throwing 173 in 2007 as he has battled injuries since. “I feel completely normal,” the 35-year-old Texan told the Seattle Times about his innings total. “It’s really a non-issue for me. I’ve been here in the past in my career. I’m not concerned, nor worried.” Young defeated Detroit 3-2 on May 31 after allowing two runs while striking out six in six innings.
Ray allowed four runs and six hits in five innings of a 4-2 loss at Pittsburgh on Tuesday in his first major-league appearance since May 22, when he yielded seven runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 frames of a 9-2 loss to Texas. “He has to perform like anybody else, but we’re hoping that he will,” Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski told the Detroit Free Press when asked whether Ray will continue to take Sanchez's spot in the rotation. “We think he can. That’s what our plans are, but he has to go and pitch well too.” The 22-year-old Tennessee native was 7-5 with a 3.72 ERA in 19 games with Toledo this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Johnson, who saved 101 games for Baltimore in 2012 and 2013, was designated for assignment by Oakland on July 24 after the Athletics quickly lost confidence in him as a closer after a poor start and wound up using him mostly in a set-up role until his release.
2. Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera (.311, 17 home runs, 86 RBIs), who is 5-for-11 with four doubles in his last three games, was hit by a pitch from Felix Hernandez above the left elbow Saturday - causing his hand to go numb one day after injuring his thumb while playing defense.
3. Mariners starters have posted a 1.98 ERA in their last 20 starts.
PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Tigers 2