Ranger Suarez (2-3, 3.21) gets the ball for Boston opposite Bryce Miller (3-0, 1.54), first pitch 7:10 PM PT at T-Mobile Park. Suarez's last time out he went 5 innings of 2-run ball against Texas with 7 punchouts and took a no-decision. Miller's been operating on a different planet — 8 shutout-adjacent innings against Washington his last start, 4 hits, 7 Ks, no walks, 91 pitches.
Boston is a mess. They've dropped 5 of 6, just got broomed at home by Toronto, and per the Boston Globe sit a season-low 14 games under .500. Interim manager Chad Tracy keeps trotting out the right cliches about fight, but the lineup is gutted — no Roman Anthony, no Trevor Story, no Triston Casas, no Romy Gonzalez, no Nick Sogard. That's a lot of bats not walking to the plate against a guy whose opponents are slashing .168 against him this year.
Seattle isn't perfect either. They got smoked twice in Washington, then split with Baltimore before bouncing back with a 3-0 shutout Thursday. The bigger concern is the lineup card — Julio Rodriguez (hamstring) was out of Thursday's lineup, Luke Raley sat with the flu, and Randy Arozarena is on the 10-day IL. The Mariners' offense was already feast-or-famine; without those three it gets a lot more famine.
- Day-To-DayHobie Harris RP — Harris was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILRoman Anthony LF — Anthony (finger) underwent a follow-up MRI on Tuesday that came back clean, but he's not yet cleared to swing a bat, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
- 10-Day-ILNick Sogard 3B — Sogard (oblique) told reporters Friday that he plans to start swinging a bat Monday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
- developmental listNoah Song SP — Song (elbow) was reinstated from Double-A Portland's 7-day injured list Friday and made his 2025 debut for the affiliate in relief Sunday, striking out one and issuing one walk over a scoreless inning.
- 15-Day-ILJovani Moran RP — The Red Sox placed Moran on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Friday, with left elbow inflammation, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
- 60-Day-ILPatrick Sandoval SP — Sandoval (biceps) went three innings, allowing one earned run on one hit and one walk while striking out four Wednesday for Double-A Portland, reports Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.
- 60-Day-ILRomy Gonzalez 1B — Gonzalez (shoulder) went 1-for-2 with a walk and a two-run home run for Double-A Portland on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILGarrett Crochet SP — Crochet (shoulder/lat) began throwing a plyometric ball Tuesday as the first step of his throwing program, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayJulio Rodriguez CF — Rodriguez (hamstring) isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against Baltimore.
- Day-To-DayLuke Raley RF — Raley isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Orioles due to the flu, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayDane Dunning RP — The Mariners signed Dunning to a minor-league contract Thursday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILRandy Arozarena LF — Arozarena (hamstring) isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Orioles, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
- 10-Day-ILBrendan Donovan 3B — Donovan (groin) began a running progression Tuesday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCooper Criswell RP — Criswell was diagnosed with a Grade 1-plus pectoral strain Tuesday, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMatt Brash RP — General manager Justin Hollander said Tuesday that Brash was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain in his right lat, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILCarlos Vargas RP — Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Tuesday that Vargas (lat) recently began a throwing program and could be ready to return from the 60-day injured list around the Aug. 3 trade deadline, Zac Hereth of 710 AM Seattle Sports reports.
What saves Seattle is that they don't need to score much when Miller pitches. Per MLB.com, since coming back from an oblique strain on May 13, he's posted a 1.71 ERA across 21 IP with a 20-to-3 K-to-BB ratio. The stuff is reportedly the best of his career, with a whiff rate north of 29%. Pair that with a Boston lineup that just got three-hit by a Bowden Francis type and you can see why the home side is laying -126.
Suarez is no scrub — the 3.21 ERA is legit and the lefty can dance around a depleted Seattle lineup if he's locating. But Boston is the team in freefall, the bullpen behind Suarez is taxed, and Miller is the kind of arm that turns a one-run lead into a 9th inning. Friday's series opener has the feel of a quiet 3-1 game in Seattle.