Texas Rangers (19-13) vs. Seattle Mariners (16-17)
The 2023 MLB season continues Monday, May 8, with the Texas Rangers squaring off against the Seattle Mariners in the AL West showdown at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington, and the first pitch is set for 9:40 PM ET.
Texas and Seattle lock horns for the first time this season. They start a three-game series at T-Mobile Park, and the hosts are listed as -141 moneyline favorites with a total of 8.0 runs.
Sunday’s games have been excluded from the analysis, and the 19-13 Texas Rangers played the Los Angeles Angels in the closing clash of a three-game set at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The Rangers were looking for their third straight series victory. After a 5-4 ten-inning defeat in Friday’s opener, Texas trounced the Halos 10-1 in Saturday’s middle game. It was the Rangers’ fifth win in seven games.
Texas is scoring a thumping 6.41 runs per game, enough for the most in the majors. The Rangers rank fifth in slugging percentage (.445), fourth in on-base percentage (.342), and third in OPS+ (118). Adolis Garcia and Josh Jung have slugged eight home runs apiece, while Jonas Heim boasts a 159 OPS+ in 2023. Over the last seven days, the Rangers have slashed a sturdy .298/.365/.450 with five home runs and eight doubles across 151 at-bats.
Series finale from Anaheim. #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/ze91qJX9tO
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) May 7, 2023
On the pitching side of things, the Rangers own a 3.65 ERA (9th), 7.7 H/9 (5th), and 1.18 WHIP (also 5th). Jon Gray will get the starting call Monday in Seattle, and the 31-year-old right-hander is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 19/14 K/BB ratio in six starts (30.2 innings pitched) this season. Gray has struggled lately, yielding 11 runs (ten earned) on 18 hits and eight walks over his previous three outings (16.2 IP).