Derek Holland was shelled the last time he stepped on the mound against Seattle, but his recent form appears to tell that Seattle is going to be in for a rough night at the plate.
Holland has gone 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA in his last three starts, a span that includes a 12-4 victory over Houston on September 3 in which he allowed just two runs on six hits in six innings of action. It was a far better performance compared to his previous start against Seattle, wherein he yielded five hits and five earned runs in five innings of a 7-5 home loss last June 5.
Tonight’s game is going to be Holland’s third time to pitch against Seattle. He won against them on May 30, pitching for seven innings and giving up only two runs on three hits in a 3-2 win at home.
On the flipside, the Rangers’ offense will be looking to punish Seattle’s Taijuan Walker anew. Walker was bombarded with six runs and nine hits in a 7-3 loss to Texas on June 3.
Rougned Odor has been doing serious damage at the plate over his last six games, going 11-for-27 (.407) with three homers during that span.
Unlike Holland, Taijuan Walker is in the midst of a nightmarish stretch, having gone 0-4 with a dizzying 9.55 ERA over his last five starts. He didn’t even finish the first frame of his last start—a 10-3 loss to the Angels—in which he allowed five earned runs on six hits in just two-thirds of an inning.
He can either sink lower or help his credentials get a much-needed shot in the arm when he gets the Rangers later tonight at home. Walker is 3-5 with a 4.23 ERA in 12 home starts thus far on the season.
With Walker not looking like the starter every Seattle fan would have confidence in against Texas’ brilliant offense, the Mariners are now more pressured to deliver at the plate.
The expensive pair of Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz has been batting well lately with both players batting an identical .320 over their last six games as of this writing.
