
The Seattle Mariners manager expanded on the lineup for the team's rubber match against the Rangers
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners will look to win their second consecutive home series in the rubber match against the Texas Rangers at 1:10 p.m. PT on Sunday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
The Mariners (9-13) were able to snap a four-game losing streak in a 7-3 win against the Rangers on Saturday, setting up a rubber match for Sunday.
Seattle will have its 2025 All-Star starting pitcher, Bryan Woo and the hill to face Texas left-handed starter MacKenzie Gore.
With the southpaw on the mound, the Mariners penciled in a lineup filled with right-handed hitters.
Right fielder Rob Refsnyder will lead-off; Cal Raleigh will DH and hit second; center fielder Julio Rodriguez will hit third; left fielder Randy Arozarena is slotted in the clean-up spot; catcher Mitch Garver will bat fifth in the order; first baseman Connor Joe will hit sixth; shortstop J.P. Crawford will hit seventh after leading off Saturday; second baseman is No. 8 in the order and third baseman Leo Rivas will round out the lineup hitting ninth.
The only two exclusively left-handed hitters are Crawford and Young. Raleigh and Rivas are switch-hitters.
Sunday will mark the second start for Joe since his contract was selected from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on April 8.
Joe has received five at-bats since being brought up. He's still looking for his first hit and first on-base appearance.
Despite his early struggles, Seattle's skipper had kind words for the 33-year-old infielder ahead of the rubber match.
"Having him in spring training, too, just getting to know the person, just an incredibly quality individual," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Sunday. "He just exudes grace. He exudes a veteran player that has played this game and has played it well. His at-bats that we saw in spring training were tremendous. The at-bats we've seen here have been great. Today felt like another good day to get him back in there and give him a chance against Gore."
Joe, who was signed to a minor league contract Feb. 13, slashed .340/.411/.560 with a .971 OPS in 20 Cactus League games this spring. He hit six doubles, a triple and a home run with six RBIs.
Both Brendan Donovan and Josh Naylor were absent from the lineup for Sunday's game.
Donovan has been day-to-day with hip tightness since exiting game one of the series Friday. He was also absent from the lineup Saturday.
Both Donovan and Naylor will be available off the bench, per Wilson.
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