Mariners Head to St. Louis With George Kirby on the Mound, Hoping to Turn Around Road Struggles

The Mariners are rolling into Busch Stadium to kick off a three-game series against the Cardinals on Friday night, and honestly, they need to figure things out on the road. Seattle is sitting at 11-15 overall, fourth in the AL West, but the real problem is staring them in the face: they're just 1-8 in away games. This trip to St. Louis isn't going to get easier, but George Kirby will take the ball with a solid 3-2 record and a 2.97 ERA behind him.

Kirby vs. Pallante: The Matchup

Kirby has been solid early this season, striking out 27 batters with a 1.05 WHIP in his starts. He's facing Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, who's 2-1 with a 4.05 ERA. The Cardinals (14-10, third in the NL Central) are the better team right now, sitting 2.5 games ahead of the Mariners in the standings. St. Louis has been especially dangerous at home, where they're 7-5, and their hitters are slugging at a .375 clip, good for ninth in the National League. This is the first meeting between these two clubs all season.

Raleigh's Hot Streak Gives Seattle Some Hope

If there's a bright spot, it's Cal Raleigh. Over the last 10 games, he's gone 12 for 41 with two doubles, three home runs, and four RBIs. The Mariners have also shown they can win when they're swinging it, sitting 4-2 in games where they hit two or more homers. Randy Arozarena has chipped in with six doubles and two homers. The Cards' Jordan Walker is leading the league with eight home runs and a ridiculous .607 slugging percentage, so the Mariners' pitching staff will need to keep him in check.

Both Teams Dealing With Injuries

The Mariners are banged up heading into this series. Victor Robles is on the 10-Day IL with a pectoral injury, while Logan Evans, Carlos Vargas, Miles Mastrobuoni, Brendan Donovan, Bryce Miller, and Patrick Wisdom are all out long-term. The Cardinals have their own issues with Hunter Dobbins, Matt Pushard, and Lars Nootbaar on injured reserve. In their last 10 games, Seattle is 4-6 with a .269 batting average and a 4.13 ERA. They've been outscored by five runs over that stretch. St. Louis is 6-4 in their last 10 but came into Friday off a loss.

First pitch Friday night at 8:15 p.m. EDT from Busch Stadium. This road trip starts now.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.