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

The Seattle Mariners are back from the All-Star break, and they have their lineup ready to take on the Houston Astros with a chance to make a dent in their rival’s lead atop the AL West.

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Manager Dan Wilson has set his batting order for Friday’s 7:10 p.m. series opener at T-Mobile Park, which looks like this:

It’s ‘80s Fireworks Night at @TMobilePark to kick off the second half! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/WVXHmZFCIl

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 18, 2025

As expected, MLB home run leader and reigning Home Run Derby champion Cal Raleigh is catching and hitting third for the M’s. He’s bookended by a pair of fellow 2025 All-Stars: No. 2 hitter Julio Rodríguez, who has homered in each of his last three games to raise his OPS by 44 points to .731, and cleanup man Randy Arozarena, who has a .323 average, 1.057 OPS, nine home runs and seven doubles in his last 24 contests.

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With the Astros starting left-handed pitcher Brandon Walter (3.98 ERA in seven starts), the Mariners have righty hitters Donovan Solano (first base), Mitch Garver (designated hitter) and Dylan Moore (right field) in the lineup hitting fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively.

The Mariners will start Luis Castillo on the mound. The 32-year-old right-hander and three-time former All-Star is 6-5 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.237 WHIP this year. In his last three starts, he’s allowed just four earned runs over 18 innings, including an outing of seven shutout innings to lead Seattle to a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 5.

Friday will be Castillo’s third start this year against Houston. He previously kept the Astros scoreless over five innings on April 8 in Seattle, then allowed three runs over six innings on May 25 in Houston.

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The Mariners enter the second half of the season with a 51-45 record and holding the third and final wild card spot in the American League, up 1 1/2 games on the Tampa Bay Rays. Seattle no doubt would rather win the AL West, where the Astros (56-40) are up five games on the Mariners.

Radio coverage of Friday’s M’s-Astros game on Seattle Sports will begin at 6 p.m. with the pregame show. Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob is also broadcasting live from 2-6 p.m. from Edgar’s Cantina at T-Mobile Park.

The M’s-Astros series will continue Saturday at 6:40 p.m. (pregame at 5:30) and conclude Sunday at 1:10 p.m. (Trident Talk at 11 a.m., pregame at noon).

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