While the temperature rises, so too does your Texas Rangers (54-53) as they are over .500 for the first time since July 3. The team has won seven of 10 and four games straight which places them only three games behind the Angels for second place in the AL West and 2.5 games out of the second wild card spot.
Who's hot: Since the All-Star break, Shin-Soo Choo leads the team in hitting as he has a 1.105 OPS. Rougned Odor (.982), Adrian Beltre (.859) and now-injured Robinson Chirinos (.849) all have been playing well. Overall, the team ranks sixth in OPS (.796) in MLB post All-Star break.
Who's cold: Leonys Martin has struggled most of the season and was finally sent down to AAA Round Rock this week.
Hunting for a Red October
The Rangers are 1-5 this season against the fourth-place Mariners (50-59). Like Texas, Seattle has struggled at home (22-31). Their strength is the pitching staff, but their team ERA of 3.97 only ranks 18th in baseball. Sunday's starter Felix Hernandez is the unequivocal ace as he leads the team in wins (13), ERA (3.13) and strikeouts (140).
The offense ranks near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, but is led by former Ranger Nelson Cruz who is having a MVP-caliber season hitting .324 with 31 homeruns.
Let's take a look at this weekend's pitching match-ups:
9:10 p.m., Friday: LHP Cole Hamels (6-7, 3.76) vs. RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (2-2, 4.14)
Hamels was far from flawless in his Rangers debut, but he did last 7.2 innings and only threw 97 pitches in Texas' last loss. To his credit, when he left the mound with only four outs to go, the Rangers were ahead 7-4.
This season has been a struggle for Iwakuma, but he was sensational in his last start against Minnesota where he pitched 8.2 innings, allowed one run and eight strikeouts. Seattle has won four of his last five starts and in those wins, he has allowed two runs or less. At home this season, Iwakuma has a 5.70 ERA in 30 innings.
3:10 p.m., Saturday: LHP Martin Perez (1-2, 6.64) vs. LHP Mike Montgomery (4-4, 3.07)
After throwing a dud against the Yankees on July 28, Perez pitched perhaps one of the best starts in Rangers history as he went 8.1 innings while only throwing 80 pitches. He allowed one run, walked zero and struck out six as the Rangers won 2-1. If Texas can get consistent production from Perez over the next two months, the playoffs become more of a reality.
Montgomery has pitched well in his rookie season. He has two complete games in only 12 starts and won four of his first five starts. Since then, Seattle has lost his last five starts including Montgomery's last start against Minnesota when only allowed one run in six innings.
3:10 p.m., Sunday: RHP Colby Lewis (12-4, 4.68) vs. RHP Felix Hernandez (13-6, 3.13)
Lewis has won his last four starts as the Rangers have averaged seven runs per start during that span. Colby has a career 3.96 ERA in 11 starts at Safeco Field.
King Felix has generally struggled against the Rangers, but this season he has only allowed three runs in 13.2 innings of work while also striking out 16. While he doesn't seem to be in the running for AL Cy Young, he is still top 10 in many categories: innings pitched (10th), strikeouts (7th), ERA (7th) and wins (1st).
Prediction
Let the good times roll as Texas is able to take two of three from Seattle before heading to take on fellow playoff-hopeful Minnesota for a three-game series beginning next week.
Eddie Middlebrook can be reached on Twitter @emiddlebrook.
