Struggling Mariners turn to Bryan Woo in finale vs. Astros

The Seattle Mariners aren't scheduled to send All-Star Logan Gilbert to the mound Sunday as they try to regain a share of the American League West lead and avoid a three-game sweep by the visiting Houston Astros.

Instead, oft-injured Bryan Woo (3-1, 2.45 ERA) will pitch against Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco (9-4, 2.56) in the series finale.

Why?

"There were a couple different things to look at, obviously," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "Is this the biggest series of the year? No, because we're going to play Houston again. There (are) other things that are going on here over the last two-plus months of the season. You want to keep guys in some rhythm, and I think putting Bryan Woo into this series is something that we talked a lot about. We want to get him pitching again and didn't want to have the layoff to be too long.

"On the flip side of that, Logan has probably carried as many innings as anybody in the American League. He's been awesome, and he's going to have plenty of time to impact what we're doing here. We lined it up the way we did, and all these guys are going to pitch a lot and they're all going to pitch in big games."

Woo hasn't started since July 12 in Anaheim, Calif., when he lasted just 3 1/3 innings in a 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

And Gilbert has pitched an MLB-leading 132 1/3 innings, though he didn't appear in the Midsummer Classic because he started last Sunday against the Angels.

"In a series like this, I always wish I could be out there, it'd be really fun," Gilbert said. "But I also understand it, and I love having a little bit of rest. It's very much appreciated at this point in the season."

Jake Meyers and Yainer Diaz each hit a home run as the Astros won 4-2 on Saturday to move into sole possession of first place. Houston has won 19 of its past 25 games to erase a 10-game deficit in the division race.

"It's awesome to hear, but I think it's the same thing as month one or month two being down 10, 12 games," Meyers said. "I think we've adopted the same mindset of, we've just got to keep winning the game at hand and playing together, and we're a great team when we do that."

Julio Rodriguez hit a two-run homer for the Mariners, who have lost five in a row and 17 of 25. Seattle, which had been atop the AL West since May 12, is now 2 1/2 games back in the chase for the league's third and final wild-card berth.

"This club is going through a lot of things. It happens through the course of a season," Servais said. "We've got guys who are struggling right now to get some traction and get it going, and they know it. They feel it. And the team in the other dugout across the way is playing very good baseball right now."

Woo is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA in one previous start against the Astros on July 8, 2023.

Blanco is 0-1 with a 5.65 ERA in four career appearances against Seattle, including two starts. He got a no-decision May 3 in Houston when he allowed three runs in six innings in a game the Astros eventually won 5-3.

--Field Level Media