The Mariners arrive in Houston on the tail end of a road trip that has been less than ideal for the young team. They logged a record of 2-4 during a tour of Florida, dropping two straight series against the Rays and Marlins. However, this did come after a wildly successful homestand that included an almost-sweep of the Astros and a 7-2 record, so I’m sure they’re not crying about it too hard.
This series will be about as important as an early May showdown can be between two rivals. The Mariners are expected to compete heavily in the division this season and a series win by the Astros would let Houston move into 2nd place in the division with them, and a sweep would see them the sole owners.