Seattle Mariners Surge: Today’s Epic Comeback, Standings Shake-Up & Must-See Highlights

PHOENIX — The Seattle Mariners open a quick two-game interleague set against the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight at Chase Field, first pitch 9:40 p.m. ET. Seattle is listed as a slight –115 money-line favorite, while the game total sits at 8.5 runs. Surging storylines • Rotation reset: Rookie right-hander Emerson Hancock (2-2, 5.19 ERA) gets the ball after George Kirby’s 14-strikeout gem Sunday snapped the club’s five-game skid and tied the franchise’s single-game K mark since 2018. • Power surge: Switch-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh leads MLB with 26 homers and has gone deep three times in his last five games, raising his OPS to .908. • Julio heating up: Center-fielder Julio Rodríguez has tallied seven extra-base hits over his last 10 contests, bumping his season line to .249/.323/.465. Why this series matters At 33-31, the Mariners sit three games behind Houston in the AL West. Arizona (31-34) is fighting to stay within striking distance of the final NL wild-card slot. Both clubs view the next 48 hours as a chance to gain ground before facing division rivals later this week. Probable pitching matchups • Tonight: RHP Emerson Hancock vs. RHP Ryne Nelson (4-4, 4.77 ERA) • Wednesday: LHP Robbie Ray (season debut after Tommy John surgery) vs. LHP Jordan Montgomery (5-5, 3.92 ERA) — Ray’s first appearance since May 2023 could turbo-charge a rotation already fifth in MLB in ERA (3.60). Keys for Seattle 1. Early offense: Seattle owns a –18 run differential in the first three innings; jumping on Nelson’s 1.56 WHIP could flip that script. 2. Bullpen reset: Closer Andrés Muñoz reclaimed form Sunday with a 101 mph heater; his availability both nights will hinge on pitch count management. 3. Left-field platoon: Dominic Canzone, a former D-back, slugged a game-tying two-run shot Monday and is 9-for-25 lifetime against Arizona pitching. How to watch & stream • TV: ROOT Sports NW (Seattle), ARID (Arizona market) • Streaming: MLB.tv (out-of-market), authenticated regional-sports-network apps • Radio: Seattle Sports 710 AM, Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Trending search keywords to follow “Seattle Mariners vs Arizona Diamondbacks live stream,” “Mariners lineup tonight,” “Julio Rodríguez highlights,” “Robbie Ray return,” and “Cal Raleigh home run leader” are spiking ahead of first pitch as fans hunt for real-time updates on the Mariners’ playoff push. Standings snapshot (entering June 10) AL West: Astros 36-29 (.554); Mariners 33-32 (.508); Angels 31-34; Rangers 31-35; Athletics 26-42. NL West: Dodgers 41-25; Giants 35-30; Padres 34-32; Diamondbacks 31-34; Rockies 25-41. Bottom line Seattle’s season-high strikeout performance on Sunday could be the turning point manager Scott Servais has been waiting for. If Hancock neutralizes Corbin Carroll and Muñoz slams the door late, the Mariners can get back to four games over .500 for the first time since mid-May and keep the pressure on Houston before returning home to face Baltimore this weekend.