Mariners vs Royals Preview: Gilbert Takes on KC

The Mariners roll into Kauffman Stadium with one of baseball's best pitching staffs. Logan Gilbert takes the ball Friday night for Seattle. He anchors a rotation loaded with talent—Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo all ready to go. The bullpen has closer Andrés Muñoz, who saved 38 games last year. Seattle's pitching is balanced and deep. That consistency makes them dangerous every single game. Kansas City's bats need to stay sharp.

Kansas City limps into this matchup on a three-game losing streak. The team sits at 20-30 overall, with a 1-9 record in their last ten games. They're searching for answers. Noah Cameron starts for the Royals on Friday. The pitching staff has potential with Cole Ragans leading the way. Carlos Estévez is their closer, but he's hurt. The Royals need wins fast to climb back into contention and stop the slide.

The Mariners are without key players. Cal Raleigh, their star catcher, is sidelined with an oblique injury. J.P. Crawford and Brendan Donovan won't play either. Mitch Garver and Jhonny Pereda share catching duties now. The Royals also deal with injuries. Jonathan India had season-ending surgery on his shoulder. Carlos Estévez's rotator cuff is strained. Both teams are scrambling to fill holes. Backup players get chances to prove themselves on the big stage.