Strong pitching matchups headline Mariners-Astros showdown

The Seattle Mariners are set for their biggest September series in quite some time.

The Mariners begin a massive American League West showdown against the Houston Astros on Friday night in Houston with first place in the division and the season tiebreaker on the line.

Lefko: Franchise-defining moment awaits the Seattle Mariners

Both clubs enter the series tied atop the AL West and one game back of the AL’s No. 2 seed for the postseason, setting up a playoff-like atmosphere at Daikin Park this weekend. And the pitching matchups only add to the intrigue of Seattle’s biggest regular-season series in more than two decades.

Here’s a look at each of the pitching probables for the series.

Bryan Woo vs Hunter Brown

Woo: 14-7 record, 3.02 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 181 2/3 IP, 9.5 K/9

Brown: 12-7 record, 2.27 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 174 1/3 IP, 9.9 K/9

Tale of the tape: The series kicks off with a matchup between aces Woo and Brown fitting for Game 1 of a playoff series. Woo has been among the league’s most durable effective pitchers this year, going at least six innings in 27 of his 29 starts while ranking eighth in the league in innings pitched and 12th in ERA. He’s allowed two or fewer runs in five of his past six starts. Brown has dominated lineups all season long while posting the league’s third-best ERA and fifth-best batting average against (.197). He’s gone at least six innings in six straight outings, but his shortest outing of the year was four innings the last time he faced Seattle (July 20).

Advantage: Astros.

George Kirby vs Framber Valdez

Kirby: 9-7 record, 4.46 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 115 IP, 9.4 K/9

Valdez: 12-10 record, 3.59 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 180 1/3 IP, 8.6 K/9

Tale of the tape: The middle game features of matchup of two pitchers who are capable of dominating the opposing lineup, but also capable of delivering a clunker. Kirby is coming off a bounce-back outing in which he tied a career best with 14 strikeouts against the Angles, but has allowed seven or more runs twice in his past six starts. Valdez shut down the Mariners both times he faced them this year, allowing only one run and holding Seattle homerless over 12 innings. But he’s allowed at least four runs in seven of his past eight starts, with his only good outing over that span coming against the lowly Colorado Rockies. Valdez’s 6.41 ERA since the start of August in the fourth-worst among 68 qualified starters.

Advantage: Push.

Logan Gilbert vs Jason Alexander

Gilbert: 5-6 record, 3.53 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 120 IP, 12.3 K/9

Alexander: 4-1 record, 2.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 65 1/3 IP, 7.6 K/9 (since acquired by Houston)

Tale of the tape: On paper, the Mariners have a very clear talent advantage in the finale. Gilbert was an All-Star and led the league in innings pitched last season, and he leads all pitchers with at least 120 innings pitched in strikeouts per nine innings and strikeout rate (33.3%) this year. Gilbert also shut down the Astros in his lone start against them this season, allowing just a solo home run while striking out seven over 5 2/3 innings. With that said, Alexander, who hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2022 before this season, has been a revelation for Houston since being claimed off waivers from the Athletics. He’s allowed two or fewer earned runs in nine of 12 starts and trails only Brown in ERA among Houston starters since debuting with the team June 17.

Advantage: Mariners.

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Canzone’s breakout a key to first-place Seattle Mariners’ success
• Seattle Mariners return to first place in AL West, close in on first-round bye
• Salk: This year’s Seattle Mariners are showing something different
• Seattle Mariners win a rare replay challenge, then add a run
• Cal Raleigh can’t believe his name is now beside Mantle and Griffey

Related

Mariners fall 7-3 as Rangers take pivotal AL West seriesPotential M’s target lands on IL week before trade deadlineLineups: Mariners give Raleigh a day off in crucial finale vs RangersAL West Check-In: Rangers’ Seager takes BP; A’s star to ILCanzone powers Mariners past Rangers 6-4 to end skidRoster Move: Mariners recall RHP Alex Hoppe, option reliever