San Francisco @ Seattle preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 4, 2018 ) Seattle 1, San Francisco 10

The Seattle Mariners will begin tapping into their Big Maple again when they host the San Francisco Giants for a two-game interleague series beginning Tuesday. Ace left-hander James Paxton, who threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays in his native Canada on May 8, is scheduled to return from the disabled list after a bout with a stiff lower back and will try to help Seattle solidify its hold on the second American League wild-card spot.

"He felt fine, threw all his pitches and got after it in his bullpen, so no hesitation about bringing him back," Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters after a 40-pitch bullpen session Saturday. Seattle (60-40), which trails first-place Houston by five games in the American League West, limped into the All-Star break by losing four straight before taking two of three over the weekend from the Chicago White Sox. The Giants (51-50) dropped two of three in Oakland over the weekend with both losses coming in walk-off fashion and sit on the fringes of contention in the National League West and NL wild-card races. Rookie left-hander Andrew Suarez, who had a string of six starts with two or fewer runs allowed snapped in his last outing, takes the ball for San Francisco.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Andrew Suarez (3-6, 3.94 ERA) vs. Mariners LH James Paxton (8-4, 3.70)

Suarez allowed four runs, four hits and two walks while striking out five in five innings of a 6-2 loss to Oakland on July 15. The 25-year-old Miami native was 2-1 with a 2.28 ERA in his previous eight starts with 40 strikeouts and 11 walks over 47 1/3 innings during that span. Suarez, who has never faced Seattle or any of its players, has seen San Francisco score only 51 runs in his 16 starts.

Paxton left the Mariners' 11-2 road loss to the Los Angeles Angels on July 12 after throwing only 17 pitches and giving his club a scare. The 29-year old British Columbia native, who is fifth in the AL with 155 strikeouts, is 2-3 with a 5.70 ERA in his last six outings. Paxton, who missed only one start thanks to the All-Star break, faces San Francisco for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle 1B Ryon Healy (.244, 20 home runs, 53 RBIs) had three hits Sunday, including a pair of three-run homers and a career-best six RBIs, after going 3-for-21 in his previous six games.

2. Giants 3B Evan Longoria (.246, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs), who has missed 32 games after breaking his left hand June 14, could return as early as Tuesday after a rehab stint with Triple-A Sacramento.

3. The Mariners' run differential of plus-1 is the worst in major league history among teams who have won at least 60 of their first 100 games.

PREDICTION: Mariners 3, Giants 2