Probable Pitchers Released For Seattle Mariners Massive Series with Houston Astros

The Seattle Mariners are trying to keep their season alive this week against the Houston Astros and these are the pitchers that will help decide their fate.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller (50) fields a ground ball by the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on Sept 6. / Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

For a second consecutive season, the Seattle Mariners will have their playoff fate decided in the final week of the year.

Entering play on Monday, the Mariners are 5.0 games back of the Houston Astros in the American League West with six games to play. They are also 2.0 games back of the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals in the American League wild card race.

As the M's attempt to keep their playoff hopes alive, they'll start a new series with the rival Houston Astros on Monday night at Minute Maid Park. The Astros can win the division with just one win in this series.

As for the pitching probables, they will line up like this:

Monday: Bryce Miller (SEA, 11-8, 3.06 ERA) vs. Hunter Brown (11-8, 3.57 ERA)

Tuesday: Logan Gilbert (SEA, 8-11, 3.24 ERA) vs. Framber Valdez (14-7, 2.85 ERA)

Wednesday: George Kirby (SEA, 13-11, 3.60 ERA vs. Yusei Kikuchi, 9-9, 4.19 ERA)

Miller will start game 1 in Houston, TBA games 2 and 3 with Gilbert and Kirby most likely to go. Castillo eligible to come off the IL Tue., is making good progress and has thrown from the mound.

— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) September 22, 2024

The Mariners have the pitching advantage nearly every time they take the mound, but that's not really the case here. Brown has been excellent after a dismal start, Valdez has been great all season and Kikuchi has been great since a mid-season trade to Houston. The Astros also have a better bullpen, equipped with Hector Neris, Ryan Pressly, Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu.

Game 1 of the series is Monday night at 5:05 p.m. PT. The Mariners enter play at 80-76 after a tough loss on Sunday against the Texas Rangers. They blew a 5-0 lead, only to lose 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning.

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