Preview: Mariners at White Sox

[July 14, 2017]  The Seattle Mariners felt this was the campaign in which they would end a 15-season playoff drought, but they are four games below .500 as they resume play on Friday against the host Chicago White Sox in the opener of a three-game series. Seattle (43-47) lost 10 of its last 14 contests prior to the All-Star break to fall four games behind in the American League wild-card race.

The Mariners haven't partcipated in the postseason since posting a franchise-best 116-46 record in 2001, and manager Scott Servais still feels ending the futile stretch is a reasonable possibility. "Unfortunately, we've had some swoons where we have not played well," Servais told reporters. "We haven't hit well, we haven't pitched well. It's just a combination of everything, but we still have a lot of games to play and our talent will come to the forefront. It always does." Chicago (38-49) has experienced even more troubles as it sits in last place in the AL Central while owning the worst record in the league. "We haven't been as good as we would like," star first baseman Jose Abreu told reporters through an interpreter. "But we have been doing our best, and I think the second half is going to be better for us."

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), CSN Chicago Plus

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH James Paxton (7-3, 3.21 ERA) vs. White Sox RH James Shields (2-1, 4.95)

Paxton has won consecutive starts, allowing just four hits in 13 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old is limiting opponents to a .220 batting average and has registered 91 strikeouts in 81 1/3 frames. Paxton owns a 3.18 ERA in two career starts against the White Sox, both of which were no-decisions.

Shields served up three homers in his last outing on July 4, when he gave up six runs and six hits over 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision against Oakland. The 35-year-old has given up 10 blasts in just 36 1/3 frames and also has issued 19 walks. Shields is 5-6 with a 4.51 ERA in 17 career starts against the Mariners and has experienced extreme difficulties with Robinson Cano (.411, five homers, 17 RBIs in 90 at-bats).

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mariners have lost 25 consecutive games when scoring three runs or fewer and are 3-32 in such contests.

2. Chicago DH/3B Matt Davidson has hit a team-best 18 homers but has struck out 106 times in just 241 at-bats.

3. Seattle is a disappointing 16-25 on the road.

PREDICTION: Mariners 8, White Sox 4

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