MLB Series of the Week: Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners

The second half of the 2024 MLB season will be underway on Friday and first place in the American League West is on the line in the Emerald City as the Astros and Mariners meet for the third time this season.

The Mariners led the division by as many as 10 games, but the Astros have surged back to within a game and can claim the division lead for the first time this season.

Houston Astros (50-46, second in the AL West)

The Astros’ 12-24 start to their season was the fourth-worst in the franchise’s 64-year history, but since June 1, they have the best record in the league.

During their torrid stretch, Houston has scored the second-most runs and allowed the second-fewest runs in the league.

The Astros have been without right fielder Kyle Tucker, who hit .266 with 19 home runs in 60 games, since he fouled a ball off his shin against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 3.

Second baseman Jose Altuve and outfielder Yordan Alvarez, both 2024 All-Stars, have been their dependable selves with at least 2.6 WAR each but the lost production from Tucker has been replaced by someone who struggled early in the season.

Third baseman Alex Bregman batted just .219 with a .652 OPS through May, but since then, he’s batting .309 with an .841 OPS.

The Astros’ pitching staff has been wrecked with injuries, as starters Cristian Javier, J.P. France and José Urquidy are all out for the year and three-time AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander has not pitched since June 9.

In a rotation highlighted by Verlander, Framber Valdez and Javier in recent years, two others have shined in parts for the Astros in 2024.

Ronel Blanco threw the season’s first no-hitter on April 1, and his 2.56 ERA ranks sixth in the majors.

After a rough start to his season in which he only had one quality start in his first eight starts, Hunter Brown has pitched at least six innings in each of his last 10 starts with nine quality starts.

In the bullpen, closer Josh Hader has looked mortal after five straight All-Star appearances, but Tayler Scott, now on his seventh team in four seasons, has been a surprise with 1.4 WAR.

Seattle Mariners (52-46, first in the AL West)

Though the Mariners held as big a lead in the division as they did, there were reasons to be skeptical, and now they loom large.

Seattle ranks dead last in the majors in batting average at .219, is third-worst with a .667 OPS and has struck out the most.

Very few players are at least league-average batters on this team, and outfielder Julio Rodríguez has been a big disappointment.

After All-Star appearances in his first two seasons, Rodríguez, the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year, is on pace for career lows in home runs, RBIs and stolen bases, but he hit .447 in July before the All-Star break, so there is hope for him to rebound.

The most productive player on offense for Seattle in 2024 is catcher Cal Raleigh with 20 homers and 61 RBIs, but even he has struck out 118 times to lead the majors.

While the lineup has struggled, the pitching has been excellent, leading the league with a 3.46 ERA.

The trio of Luis Castillo, George Kirby and All-Star Logan Gilbert has been arguably the best in the game, combining for a 3.19 ERA.

Kirby is on a streak of seven straight quality starts with a 2.03 ERA in those starts.

Elsewhere in the rotation, right-hander Bryan Woo missed about two and a half weeks with a hamstring strain but has shown promise as a second-year pitcher.

Though reliever Andrés Muñoz, third on the Mariners’ staff with 1.8 WAR, made the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, he did not pitch in it.

Seattle leads the season series 5-2 and will celebrate T-Mobile Park’s 25th anniversary with a fireworks show on Friday.

Projected Starters (per ESPN)

Game 1 (July 19, 10:10 p.m. EST): RHP Hunter Brown (7-6, 4.39 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Castillo (8-9, 3.53 ERA)

Game 2 (July 20, 9:40 p.m.): LHP Framber Valdez (8-5, 3.66) vs. RHP George Kirby (7-7, 3.29)

Game 3 (July 21, 4:10 p.m.): RHP Ronel Blanco (9-4, 2.56) vs. RHP Bryan Woo (3-1, 2.45)

All stats and records are as of before the games on July 19, 2024.

Owen Klein is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ojk5092@psu.edu.