Notebook: Mariners still weighing options for Sunday’s starter

SEATTLE – The Houston Astros moved up their top starter to take the mound for Sunday’s series finale, but who will be on the bump for the Seattle Mariners remains a mystery.

Seattle Mariners Lineup: How they’ll open the 2nd half vs Astros

Manager Dan Wilson said Friday that the club is still weighing its options as to who will start Sunday against Houston’s All-Star right-hander Hunter Brown.

“It’s trying to maximize getting guys as much rest and stuff as they can by using the (All-Star) break as well,” Wilson said before the Mariners’ first game of the second half of the season.

Seattle is sending right-hander Luis Castillo out to start Friday’s series opener against its division rival, with rookie right-hander Logan Evans taking the ball Saturday. That leaves All-Star Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert and George Kirby as the club’s remaining options on the roster for Sunday’s start.

Woo pitched an inning during the All-Star Game on Tuesday and made his last start last Thursday. Kirby’s most recent outing was Saturday and Gilbert’s on Sunday.

Wilson said that the health of both Kirby and Gilbert, whom each spent over a month on the injured list with injuries to their pitching arms earlier this season, plays into the decision making but that neither are dealing issues currently.

The Mariners are also factoring in that they start a stretch of 17 games in 17 days Friday.

“Obviously this is a big series, but they’re all big series going forward,” Wilson said. “So we’re trying to set ourselves up the best way that we can so that we’re in a good spot as we go out throughout the second half.”

The Mariners enter the second half in second place in the AL West, trailing the Astros by five games.

Julio’s Motor City surge

After a mostly up and down first half of the season, Julio Rodríguez entered the All-Star break on a high note during scorching series in Detroit. The center fielder homered in all three games, had multiple hits in two and finished the series 6 for 12 with five extra-base hits, six RBIs and three walks.

Wilson said Rodríguez’s swing “looked as good as it has almost all season.” What stood out most to Wilson was Rodríguez’s opposite-field home run during the series finale Sunday, which came in the same at-bat that Rodríguez just missed a home run to the pull side that went foul.

“Just that ability to use the whole field and drive the ball to any part of the ballpark,” Wilson said. “When hitters are in that kind of a groove, they’re seeing the ball well, their timing is good, their mechanics are good and everything’s in sync. And that’s a really good sign for us.”

M’s playoff odds

According to FanGraphs, the Mariners (51-45) enter the second half of the season with a 72.6% chance to reach the playoffs. Their odds of winning the division sit at 23.4% and chances of earning a wild card berth at 49.2%.

Seattle has the 21st-toughest remaining schedule in the league with an opponents’ winning percentage of .491, per Tankathon. The Astros are 28th in remaining strength of schedule with an opponents’ winning percentage of .482.

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