What happened: The Seattle Mariners travel to Nationals Park for a three-game interleague series against the Washington Nationals starting Friday. Seattle enters the matchup at 36-33, while Washington sits at 35-34 following a competitive first half of the season.
Why it matters: Seattle currently leads the American League West by two games over the Texas Rangers but arrives shorthanded with J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh on the injured list. The Nationals remain within striking distance in the NL East wildcard race despite a rotation thinned by injuries to Josiah Gray and Trevor Williams.
By the numbers: SEA: 36-33 (1st AL West), +2.0 GB. WSH: 35-34 (3rd NL East), 10.5 GB. Friday Matchup: Zack Littell (6-4, 4.76 ERA) vs. Bryce Miller (2-0, 1.33 ERA).
What to watch: Zack Littell takes the mound for the series opener as the Mariners look to maintain their division lead through the road trip.