AL West Daily Tracker (Aug. 10): Astros, Mariners Both Win Friday, Remain in Virtual Tie
Updated 3:30 a.m. PT, Saturday, Aug., 10
There are only seven weeks left in the Major League Baseball regular season, and we've got a heck of a race on our hands in the American League West. This division title race is wide open — and up for grabs as we hit the three-quarter pole next week.
It's basically a two-team race right now between the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros, but the Texas Rangers — the defending world champions — are still hovering. We're getting close enough to the end that it's definitely scoreboard-watching season. So we thought today would be a good day to start taking a daily snapshot of what's going on in the race. Seattle and Houston are in a virtual tie — the Astros lead by percentage points having played two fewer games — and Texas is six games back.
Our focus will be on the Astros and Mariners until the season ends on Sept. 28, but for now we'll keep you updated on the hovering Rangers, too. After all, as world champions, they've earned that respect.
What happened Friday night
SEATTLE: The Mariners opened a series at home with the New York Mets, and had one of their most impressive victories of the season, winning 6-0. The Mets, one of the hottest hitting teams in the league after a slow start, were shut out for just the third time since May 28. Seattle's Bryce Miller allowed only three hits in six innings, and struck out six. Here is the complete game story from Seattle Mariners on SI beat writer Teren Kowatsch. CLICK HERE
HOUSTON: The Astros went into Boston and thumped the Red Sox bullpen in an 8-4 win, scoring four times in the seventh after Boston ace Tanner Houck left the game, allowing just one run in six innings. They added three more in the ninth. Second baseman Jose Altuve and catcher Yanier Diaz had homers for Houston as part of their 16-hit attack.
TEXAS: The Rangers' game with the Yankees was postponed by rain.
AL West standings in real time
Here are the standings in the American League West after Friday's action. The Mariners have 45 regular season games remaining, the Astros 47.
Team | Wins | Losses | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Astros | 60 | 55 | .522 | -- |
Mariners | 61 | 56 | .521 | -- |
Rangers | 54 | 61 | .470 | 6 |
Saturday's scheduled action
SEATTLE: The Mariners will send ace Logan Gilbert to the mound for the second game with the Mets. Gilbert is just 6-8, but he was an All-Star selection for a reason. He's allowed one run or less in three of his last four starts. New York's Sean Manaea (8-4, 3.30 ERA) has been very good lately, too. He's had two straight seven-inning scoreless appearances, blanking Minnesota and St. Louis with a combined 21 strikeouts and just one walk. Runs will certainly be at a premium. The game starts at 6:40 p.m. PT from T-Mobile Park.
HOUSTON: The Astros resume their series at Boston, looking to keep their three-game winning streak alive. Houston will start Spencer Arrighetti (4-10, 5.33 ERA) and Boston will counter with Josh Winckowski (2-1, 3.44 ERA). The game starts at 1:10 p.m. PT, and is being televised nationally on FOX Sports 1.
TEXAS: The Rangers and Yankees will play twice on Saturday, making up Friday's rainout. Game 1 will start at 10:05 a.m. PT, with Texas' Nathan Eovaldi (8-5, 3.62 ERA) taking on New York's Carlos Rodon (12-7, 4.37 ERA). Game 2 is scheduled to start at 1:35 p.m. PT. Cody Bradford (3-0, 3.96) gets the call for Texas against New York star Gerrit Cole (3-2, 5.09 ERA).
What's left on the season?
SEATTLE: Home vs. New York Mets Aug. 11, Detroit Aug. 13-15, at Pittsburgh Aug. 16-18, at Los Angeles Dodgers Aug. 19-21. Home vs. San Francisco Aug. 23-25, Home vs. Tampa Bay Aug. 26-28, at Los Angeles Angels Aug. 30-Sept. 1, at Oakland Sept. 2-5, at St. Louis Sept. 6-8, home vs. San Diego Sept. 10-11, home vs. Texas Sept 12-15; home vs. New York Yankees Sept. 17-19, at Texas Sept. 20-22, at Houston Sept. 23-25, home vs. Oakland Sept. 27-29.
HOUSTON: At Boston Aug. 11, at Tampa Bay Aug. 12-14, home vs. Chicago White Sox Aug. 16-18, home vs. Boston Aug 19-21, at Baltimore Aug. 22-25, at Philadelphia Aug. 26-28, home vs. Kansas City Aug. 29-Sept. 1, at Cincinnati Sept. 2-5, home vs. Arizona Sept. 6-8, home vs. Oakland Sept. 10-12, at Los Angeles Angels Sept. 13-15, at San Diego Sept. 16-18, home vs. Los Angeles Angels Sept. 19-22, home vs. Seattle Sept. 23-25, at Cleveland Sept. 27-29.
TEXAS: At New York Yankees Aug. 11, at Boston Aug. 12-14, home vs. Minnesota Aug. 15-18, home vs. Pittsburgh Aug. 19-21, at Cleveland Aug. 23-25, at Chicago White Sox Aug. 27-29, home vs. Oakland Aug. 30-Sept. 1, home vs. New York Yankees Sept. 2-4, home vs. Los Angeles Angels Sept. 5-8, at Arizona Sept. 10-11, at Seattle Sept. 12-15, home vs. Toronto Sept. 17-19, home vs. Seattle Sept. 20-22, at Oakland Sept. 24-26, at Los Angeles Angels Sept. 27-29.
TOM BREW