Mariners GameDay — April 19 vs. Texas

Game #11: Mariners (5–5) vs. Rangers (2–7) | First Pitch: 6:40 pm PT | T-Mobile Park

Starting Pitchers: LH Robbie Ray (1–1, 4.73) vs. RH Jon Gray (0–0,6.75)

Radio: Seattle Sports (710 AM) and Mariners.com

TV: ROOT SPORTS

Live Stats: MLB Gameday (live box score with pitch-by-pitch data)

AS YOU KNOW…Robbie Ray is set to make his Mariners home debut at T-Mobile Park tonight…the left-hander started for the Mariners on Opening Day, making his team debut on April 8 at Minnesota (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR on 96 pitches/63 strikes), but…DID YOU KNOW?…that Ray will become the first former Cy Young Award winner to take the mound for the Mariners at T-Mobile Park since Félix Hernández’ final start?…“King Felix” started for Seattle on Sept. 26, 2019 vs. Oakland…the 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner pitched 5.1 innings, tossing 106 pitches.

TONIGHT’S TILT…the Mariners continue their first homestand of the season tonight with the 1st of 3 games against the Texas Rangers…the Mariners are coming off their first series victory of the season, taking 2 of 3 from the Astros…they will also welcome the Kansas City Royals (3 G; 4/22–4/24) to T-Mobile Park to conclude their opening homestand…tonight’s game will be televised live on ROOT SPORTS with Aaron Goldsmith and Mike Blowers on the call…the game will also be broadcast live on Seattle Sports (710 AM) with Rick Rizzs and Mariners Hall of Famer Dan Wilson.

ODDS AND ENDS…the Mariners defeated Houston by a 7–2 score in Sunday’s series finale to capture their first series win of 2022…the Mariners outscored the Astros 18–7 in the series…Seattle is 4–2 when scoring at least 4 runs and 1–3 when scoring 3 or fewer runs this season.

• Series Openers — The Mariners are 2–1 in series openers this season.
• Whiff or Whiffout You — Seattle’s offense struck out just 3 times last game…the Mariners struck out 3 or fewer times just twice last season: May 13 vs. Cleveland and Sept. 18 at Kansas City.
• 8 Out Of 10 — Seattle has homered in 8 of 10 games this season and have been shut out in the other 2 contests…the Mariners are 5–3 in games when they record a home run.
• High 5 — Seattle scored 5 runs on 5 hits in the 4th inning on Sunday, its highest scoring inning of 2022.
• Hey, I Just May — Tonight’s starting pitcher matchup of Robbie Ray vs. Jon Gray is the first to feature 2 starting pitchers whose last names rhyme, in a Mariners game, since Seattle’s Wade Miley faced off against Tampa Bay’s Drew Smyly on May 10, 2016…the Mariners won that game 6–4 at T-Mobile Park.

AGAINST TEXAS…the Mariners welcome American League West Division foe Texas to T-Mobile Park for the first time in 2022…Seattle carries an active 5-game winning streak against Texas and a 21–8 (.724) record against them over the last 2 seasons…the Mariners are 15–2 (.882) over their last 17 games at T-Mobile Park against Texas.

ALL THE SMALL THINGS…in 10 games this season, the Mariners bullpen is 1–0 with 2 saves and a 2.48 ERA (9 ER, 32.2 IP) with 19 hits allowed, 10 walks and 42 strikeouts…Seattle relievers have allowed opponents to hit just .164 (19x116), which leads the Majors…additionally, the bullpen’s 11.57 strikeouts-per-9 innings and 33.1 strikeout percentage both lead the Majors…Seattle relievers also lead the American League with a 4.2 strikeout-to-walk ratio, 0.888 WHIP and .541 opponent OPS.

BULLPEN BULLIES…Andrés Muñoz leads the Mariners bullpen in strikeouts (9)…Erik Swanson leads in innings pitched (4.1), not allowing a run through his first 3 appearances…Drew Steckenrider (4.0 IP) and Paul Sewald (2.2) have also yet to allow a run this season…Castillo and Steckenrider have each registered a save, while Muñoz, Sewald, Steckenrider, Sergio Romo and Anthony Misiewicz have each recorded holds…Justus Sheffield has yet to allow a hit or run through 2 appearances (1.2 IP).

YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE FRANCING…Ty France went 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored, 1 home run and 3 RBI in Sunday’s win over Houston…in 10 games this season, he is batting .289 (11x38) with 4 runs, 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 9 RBI and 5 walks with a .400 on-base percentage, .500 slugging percentage and .900 OPS…in 81 games since the 2021 All-Star Break, he is batting .317 (100x315) with 50 runs, 14 doubles, 1 triple, 12 home runs, 45 RBI, 25 walks and 16 hit-by-pitches…his .394 on-base percentage leads the American League in that span…France is slugging .483 with an .877 OPS.

J.P. GETTING ON-BASE HALF THE TIME…J.P. Crawford reached base twice on Sunday…he’s now reached base safely in each of the Mariners 10 games this season…he is batting .355 (11x31) with 5 runs, 3 doubles, 1 RBI, 6 walks and 3 hit-by-pitches…he’s getting on-base at a .500 clip, slugging .452 with a .952 OPS…his .500 on-base percentage is tied for 5th in the American League.

DOCTOR FRAZIER…Adam Frazier is batting .539 (7x13) with 3 runs scored, 1 double, 1 triple and 5 RBI through is first 3 games at T-Mobile Park in a Mariners uniform…in Friday’s home opener, Frazier recorded 4 hits and 4 RBI out of the leadoff spot, the fourth time in franchise history that had been accomplished, and the first since Ichiro Suzuki on Aug. 17, 2004.

J.K. ROLLING…Jarred Kelenic went 2-for-4 with 2 runs and a double on Sunday…in his last 4 games, he is batting .286 (4x14) with 3 runs scored, 1 double, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 1 walk, 1 stolen base and a sacrifice fly…Kelenic is also 1-for-3 with 1 walk in 4 plate appearances against left-handed pitching this season.

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE…the Mariners offense has drawn 41 walks this season, ranking 2nd in the American League to only Baltimore (43)…Jesse Winker leads the AL in walks (10) and is ranked 3rd in the Majors…the Mariners have registered 6+ walks 4 times this season, going 3–1 in those games.

ANDRÉS THE GIANT…right-hander Andrés Muñoz has made 4 relief appearances for the Mariners this season, going 1–0 with 1 hold and a 4.50 ERA (2 ER, 4.0 IP) with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts…he struck out 9 consecutive batters across 4 appearances from April 9–17, breaking a 7-way tie to set a franchise record.

MARINERS, FRED MEYER PARTNER TO REWARD FANS…the Mariners and Fred Meyer yesterday announced a multi-year partnership that will reward fans and customers who shop at Fred Meyer stores throughout the region…the rewards program is set to begin in July…the new agreement designates Fred Meyer the exclusive grocery partner of the Mariners.

OPENING HOMESTAND…fans can still get tickets for each of the remaining games of the Mariners Opening Homestand, which includes Mariners Puffy Vest Night and College Night on Friday, April 22, the first Little League Day of the season on Sunday, April 24, and 3 remaining Value Games (4/19, 4/20, 4/21), with tickets priced as low as $10…tickets are available at Mariners.com/Tickets, and at the Mariners Team Stores at Westlake in downtown Seattle, and T-Mobile Park.