A pit stop in Seattle – San Diego Union-Tribune

In the overall ranking

San Diego Padres (81-64, 2nd in NL West)

The Padres have lost three of their last four games, cutting their lead over the Diamondbacks in the race for the NL's top wild-card spot to a half-game. Four teams are within 2½ games of three spots, with the Braves now one game behind the Mets in the race for the final spot. The Padres are 5½ games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.

Seattle Mariners (73-71, 2nd in AL West)

The Mariners have a record of 9-7 since Daniel Wilson replaced the fired Scott Servis (64-64) as manager. Seattle is 4½ games behind the Astros in the AL West and three games behind the Twins in the race for the AL's final wild-card spot. The Mariners are 30th in batting average (.219), 11th in ERA (3.51), WHIP (1.08) and opponent average (.221), and 11th in bullpen ERA (3.80).

What have you been doing lately?

• San Diego: 3B Manny Machado has five home runs in the last two weeks (1.021 OPS) and OF MichaelJackson (.956 OPS) has hit four home runs during this period. INF Luis Arráez has a batting average of .441/.500/.441 during an eight-game hitting streak. OF Fernando Tatis Jr. has a batting average of .208/.208/.292 in six games since coming off the injured list.
• Seattle: FROM Julio Rodriguez has disappointed all season, but he and OF Randy Arozarena each has hit three home runs in the last two weeks. Victor Robles has an OPS of 1.093 during this period and five other Mariners are above .840 in the last two weeks: INF Danielle Moore (.921), Arozarena (.912), OF Luke Raley (.912), Rodriguez (.896) and 1B Justin Turner (.843).

Clubhouse Manager

• OPS: Padres – OF Jurickson Profar (.835), OF Jackson Merrill (.821), OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.799); Mariners – OF Luke Raley (.764), C Cal Raleigh (.730), INF Dylan Moore (.704).
• Homer: Padres – 3B Manny Machado (25), Merrill (23), Profar (22); Mariners – Raleigh (29), Raley (18), OF Julio Rodriguez (14), INF Jorge Polanco (14).
• RBIs: Padres – Machado (90), Merrill (83), Profar (82); Mariners – Raleigh (90), Raley (49), Rodriguez (49).
• Thefts: Padres – SS Ha-Seong Kim (22), Merrill (16), 2B Xander Bogaerts (10); Mariners – Moore (29), Rodriguez (21), OF Victor Robles (19).
• Stores: Padres – RHP Robert Suarez (31-of-35, 2.54 ERA); LHP Tanner Scott (20 of 22, 1.41 ERA); Mariners – RHP Andres Munoz (19-of-24, 2.22 ERA).
• Appearances: Padres – RHP Jason Adam (65, 1.95 ERA), Scott (63), LHP Yuki Matsui (61, 3.84 ERA); Mariners – RHP Trent Thornton (64, 3.99 ERA), RHP Austin Voth (62, 3.07 ERA).

Pitching duels

Tuesday

• Padres RHP Yu Darvish (4-3, 3.51 ERA) | The 38-year-old veteran threw 63 pitches and allowed three runs in ⅔ innings on Sept. 4, his first start since May 29 (groin, elbow, suspended list). Darvish struck out four times, walked two and allowed one home run among four hits. He has a 3.57 ERA in 15 career starts against the Mariners and allowed just one unearned run in six innings in his last start against Seattle (2023).
• Mariners RHP George Kirby (11-10, 3.61 ERA) | The 2019 first-round pick has a 5.70 ERA in his last seven starts, but threw nine strikeouts in six two-run innings last week in Oakland. The Padres allowed five runs in 3 ⅔ innings to Kirby in his only start last year against San Diego.

Wednesday

• Padres RHP Michael King (12-8, 3.10 ERA) | After seven days off, King now has four days off, overtaking LHP Martín Pérez (4.46 ERA). King had eight strikeouts in six innings with one run on Friday and reached the 100-pitch mark in back-to-back starts for the first time in his career. In a loss to Seattle in July in San Diego, King allowed just one earned run in six innings (9Ks).
• Mariners RHP Bryan Woo (7-2, 2.36 ERA) | The second-year starter has a 16-0 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his last three starts, despite allowing five home runs in 18⅓ innings (3.44 ERA). This is Woo's first appearance against the Padres.

Training room

• San Diego: SS Ha-Seong Kim (shoulder) hit a wall while trying to throw across the field and has no schedule. OF MichaelJackson (Knee) missed a game Saturday after fouling a pitch with his knee on Saturday but returned to the lineup Sunday.
• Seattle: RHP Luis Castillo left the start on Sunday with a strain in his left thigh. He was scheduled to have an MRI on Monday. OF Victor Robles (elbow) is day to day, while RHP Gregory Santos (biceps) and RHP Yimi Garcia (elbow) are on the 15-day injured list.