The Mariners will face a new face pitching for a familiar foe with just one loss to work with.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners' "tragic number" is one.
If the Mariners lose one more in their final five games of the regular season, or either the Texas Rangers or Houston Astros win one of their final five games, Seattle will be officially eliminated from the playoffs.
If the Mariners don't pull off a miracle, their elimination will mark the final dagger in what has been arguably the most disappointing season in franchise history.
One of Seattle's aforementioned rivals, Houston, will have an opportunity to hammer the final nail in the M's' coffin in a nationally-televised game on ESPN at 7:10 p.m. PT on Wednesday at T-Mobile Park.
The Astros' will have a pitcher on the mound that the Mariners are unfamiliar with, which could work in the former's favor.
Right-handed pitcher Ethan Pecko will be on the hill for Houston. He was a sixth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Towson by the Astros and had his contract selected by the organization Aug. 19. He's made six appearance, four of which were starts, since making his debut.
Pecko's last two outings have been out of the bullpen, but he's posted a starter's workload in both. He went 5.2 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 11 and the Kansas City Royals on Sept. 17, respectively.
The 24-year-old righty has posted a 3.77 ERA this season with 19 strikeouts across 28.2 innings of work.
It's atypical for a starter to be on the mound in a game between divisional rivals at this stage of the season that one side is unfamiliar with.
However, the Mariners have already scouted a rough profile of Pecko and are as prepared as they can be for the new arm.
"(Pecko's) got that crossfire," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Wednesday. "Oftentimes creates a lot of movement. The (two-seam fastball), the four-seamer, cutter, sweeper. That's a big combination that we're gonna see tonight. I think our guys, as they always (are), will be prepared and ready to go. I don't think because there isn't a ton of familiarity with him — that doesn't matter. I think these guys will make the adjustment quickly."
The Mariners, on the other hand, will have a pitcher take the mound that Houston is very familiar with.
George Kirby will get the start for Seattle. It will be the 13th start of Kirby's career against the Astros. The 2023 All-Star has posted a 2.66 ERA with 63 fanned batters over 67.2 innings of work against Houston.
