Southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez can keep this one close for the Tigers. Rodriguez was having a strong year until suffering a finger injury, which caused him to miss June. He came back on July 5 and struggled against the A's.

Look for Rodriguez to fare better here now that he knocked the rust off with that start against Oakland. Rodriguez has a 2.64 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with a 74-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 12 starts this season.

Those numbers are better than the much more heralded Luis Castillo, who has a 2.85 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Castillo went 1-4 last month. Seattle is 7-10 in Castillo's past 17 starts this season.

Seattle is well below average offensively when facing left-handed pitching.

The Tigers are not just playing the string out. They are 5 1/2 games out of first place in the AL Central.

If given 1 1/2 runs, the Tigers would be 6-2 in their last eight games. The Mariners would be 6-9 in their last 15 games if giving up 1 1/2 runs.