The Mariners aren’t going to the postseason, but they have an 8-5 record against the AL West’s No. 2 club, Oakland. The A’s and Mariners begin a three-game series Monday.
Former Mariner manager Bob Melvin has the Athletics in the thick of the AL Wild Card race. The Mariners and Oakland begin a three-game series Monday night. / Wiki Commons
GAME: Mariners (57-66, 3rd, AL West, -13.5 GB) at Athletics (70-53, 2nd, AL West, -0.5 GB). GAME #: 124. SERIES: 1st of 3 games. MEETING: 14th (Mariners lead 8-5). WHEN: Monday, 7:05 p.m., O.Com Coliseum. STREAKS: Mariners W 1; Athletics W 1. TV: Root Sports. RADIO: ESPN 710, Mariners Radio Network
If recent form is any indication, Aaron Harang, scheduled to make his 21st start for Seattle Monday night in Oakland, won’t last very long. He’s gone past 5.0 innings only once in his last six starts. The bad news for Mariners fans there acting manager Robby Thompson will probably have to tap his bullpen early.
Despite Danny Farquhar’s recent run of success — seven saves in eight outings, including a perfect ninth Sunday in a 4-3 win at Texas — Seattle’s is not a good bullpen. In fact, quite the opposite. With a 4.64 ERA, including a 5.77 mark in August, it ranks 14th in the American League, ahead of only Houston’s (5.24).
You have to go back to Bobby Ayala’s reign of error to find worse Seattle pens than this one. In June, 1999, the Mariners’ bullpen had an 8.48 ERA. The next month, that pen posted a 6.28.
Since then, the highest monthly ERAs by a Seattle bullpen are: 6.98, July 2004; 5.77, August 2013; 5.76, June 2010; and 5.38, July 2009. The main culprit: Oliver Perez. In six appearances, he has allowed eight earned runs in 3.2 innings with an ERA of 19.64. Nine of the last 10 batters he faced reached.
Harang will not face a formidable opponent Monday night. RHP Jarrod Parker is 2-2, 5.10 ERA in five career starts against the Mariners. A closer look:
MONDAY’S PROBABLES
MARINERS: RHP Aaron Harang (5-10, 5.77 ERA, 1.33 WHIP)
The 35-year-old Harang, a San Diego native in his 12th major league season and first with Seattle, will make his 21st start and second against the Athletics. The 35-year-old allowed three runs in five-plus innings against the Rays in a no-decision Wednesday, running out of steam in the sixth when his forearm tightened up. Harang has gone past five innings only once in his last six starts.
RANGERS: RHP Jarrod Parker (8-6, 3.87, 1.22 WHIP)
The 24-year-old Parker, a Fort Wayne, IN., native in his third major league season and second with Oakland, will make his 25th start and fourth against the Mariners. Parker yielded one run in a career-high 8.1 innings in his last outing, a no-decision against the Astros, striking out six and walking one. The right-hander is 6-0 with a 2.55 ERA over his last 14 starts since May 28.
MARINERS STATS / NOTES
UPCOMING PROBABLES
Date | Day | Opp. | Probable Pitchers |
---|---|---|---|
8/19 | Mon | at Oak | RHP Aaron Harang (5-10) vs. RHP Jarrod Parker (8-6) |
8/20 | Tue | at Oak | LHP Joe Saunders (10-12) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (1-1) |
8/21 | Wed | at Oak | RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (11-6) vs. RHP A.J. Griffin (10-8) |
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