Mariners Game #155 Preview, 9/29/22: TEX at SEA

Sep 30, 2022 - 12:11 AM

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T-MOBILE PARK - If you’ve never been in a baseball stadium three-plus hours before first pitch, let me tell you, there’s a lot more activity than you might think.

You’ve got security guards and front desk people. You’ve got ushers and custodians milling around the seats. You have a few scattered folks on the field, some just standing and observing, others conducting video interviews for pre-game shows. You have some concession stand workers, some photographers, and other people who you can’t quite tell what they’re doing. You even get the pregame practice rendition of the national anthem.

But after last night’s 3–1 victory, coupled with a pair of losses for the Baltimore Orioles, any sense of malaise that once hung over this building — and its inhabitants — has dissipated, and quickly. That much was clear from the field, where players milled about and joked with each other, even with no scheduled team batting practice (per Scott Servais, since last night went so well without BP, he figured they should keep it rolling).

Tonight, the Mariners take on the Rangers in the rubber match of a three-game series, their magic number down to two. Trusted (mostly?) lefty Marco Gonzales takes the hill, hoping to avoid too much damage caused by this week’s nemesis Josh Jung. He’s up against free agent acquisition Jon Gray, who’s put up a solid 3.37 FIP in 22 starts despite allowing four earned runs in each of his two starts against the M’s this season.

Lineups:

You’ll note that Eugenio Suárez is in the lineup at third base tonight. I spotted him fielding grounders pregame, and his throws seemed mostly on-target. Servais said that he’s feeling good. He also added that Winker is back in the lineup at DH, presumably because the Rangers have Gray — a righty — on the mound.

Still no Julio Rodríguez, as he’s not eligible to return until the Tigers series commences on Monday, but Servais affirmed he continues to progress, taking some swings in the indoor cage today.

On the Rangers’ side, Corey Seager is absent from the lineup yet again. Seems like he remains day-to-day, though he might also be out given that Gonzales is on the mound.

News and notes:

• With the Mariners’ minor league season concluded, the team announced its minor league season award winners. Kate will have more on the site about this tomorrow!

• Scott had a few notes pregame about Andres Muñoz, Eugenio Suárez, Julio’s return, and more:

Game info:

• Game time: 6:40pm, a welcome sight given how early the sun has been setting of late.
• Radio: 710 Seattle Sports
• TV: ROOT Sports NW
• Streaming: MLB TV (out-of-area); fuboTV (in-area); Mariners.com (Gameday)