Both teams are technically alive in the Wild Card picture, but that word is doing a lot of lifting. Texas sits at 70-72, still within shouting distance, while Seattle's 66-76 mark has them needing a big September just to make it interesting. Houston has pulled away up top in the AL West, which leaves both of these clubs fighting from the outside looking in.
The season series so far has tilted toward Texas, including a pair of wins in Seattle back in July, one of them a Jake Burger two-run homer plus a go-ahead single that decided it. The Mariners did take a game in that set, so this isn't a lopsided rivalry — just one where the road team has had the Mariners' number more often than not this year.
Texas plays Tampa Bay twice more before this one, and Seattle has two more against Oakland, so both form snapshots here are temporary. The Rangers took 2 of 3 from the Athletics before splitting the first two of their current set with the Rays, while the Mariners took 2 of 3 from Boston before dropping the first two of their current set with the A's. Whatever bullpen arms get burned in those four intervening games will shape who actually takes the field Tuesday.
Cal Raleigh has been the one constant for Seattle's offense all year, even in a lineup that's dealt with Lazaro Montes going in and out with hip soreness just days after his MLB debut. For Texas, Corey Seager and Evan Carter have shown signs of life at the plate during the recent Oakland series, which is exactly the kind of offensive spark a fringe Wild Card team needs down the stretch. Whichever lineup holds up better through this week's other series will carry real momentum into Tuesday.