The Texas Rangers are coming off a series win against the Los Angeles Dodgers and will now look to a crucial series against the Seattle Mariners.
The first game is on Friday at 9:10 p.m. CT.
Texas defeated Los Angeles in each of the last two games in the series and held the Dodgers to only three runs combined during those two games.
One of the most crucial plays of the series came as Rangers shortstop Marcus Semien made a perfect throw to home plate to prevent a game-tying run and secure the final out of the game.
While discussing the throw, Semien said he does not believe he has the strongest arm; however, those throws were something he has “always wanted to get better at,” adding that it was a fun moment to see his hard work pay off.
“When you throw somebody out at the plate from out there, it’s just cool to watch unfold,” he added, per The Dallas Morning News.
The Rangers now look ahead as they begin a series against their division rival, the Seattle Mariners, on the road on June 14, with a potential series sweep bringing the Rangers closer to first place in the division.
Seattle currently leads Texas by 5.5 games in the race to first place in the American League West Division, with the Houston Astros sitting in third, eight games behind the Mariners.
Sweeping the Mariners in this series would benefit the Rangers, as three consecutive wins would move them to just 2.5 games behind Seattle for first place.
A singular win in this series would also be significant for Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who would officially pass the late New York Yankees manager Joe McCarthy for ninth all-time on the list for regular season wins, per ESPN.
Although the Rangers have stayed exactly .500 in their last ten games, the Mariners enter this series with only a one-game advantage during that same span. Seattle has a 6-4 record in its previous ten games.
One notable injury leading into this series is Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, who is a crucial part of the team’s success and did not play in the final game of the series against Los Angeles.
Seager sat out the game as a precaution for a hamstring injury suffered earlier in the season, but it remains unclear whether he will be active in the first game against Seattle.
