After six teams opened up the 2016 season for the MLB on Sunday, the Mariners and Rangers get their turn Monday afternoon.
Seattle finished in fourth place in the AL West in 2015 with a 76-86 mark, missing the playoffs for the 14th straight season. Texas, meanwhile, won the AL West for the first time since 2011 with an 88-74 record, but fell to Toronto in five games in the NLDS.
Felix Hernandez (18-9, 3.53 ERA in 2015) mans the mound for the Mariners, while the Rangers counter with Cole Hamels (13-8, 3.65), who was acquired from the Phillies late last season.
Hernandez, who ranked tied for second in the AL in wins last season, is 6-0 with a 1.49 ERA in eight Opening Day starts in his career.
"Pitching on Opening Day means a lot," Hernandez told MLB.com. "It's a new season, a lot of eyes are on you, so it's fun."
This offseason, the Rangers brought in Ian Desmond, and he'll look to bounce back from a 2015 season that saw him hit .233. First baseman Prince Fielder ranked third in 2015 with 187 hits last season, while he was fourth with a .378 on-base percentage.
Texas has a potent lineup, giving it a lot of confidence heading into 2016.
"We have a good team, better than last year," third baseman Adrian Beltre said via MLB.com. "We have high expectations, and we can't wait until April 4 and start getting it going."
The Mariners also have some new faces as Nori Aoki was brought in out of free agency to lead off, while Adam Lind, Chris Iannetta and Leonys Martin are also new to the club. The offense for Seattle runs through Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz, who finished 2015 ranked second in the AL in homers (44), third in total bases (334) and slugging percentage (.556) and fourth in OPS (.936).
Game Details
Matchup: Mariners (0-0) at Rangers (0-0)
Venue: Globe Life Park, Arlington, Texas
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET (3:05 p.m. CT)
Radio: Seattle (KIRO 710); Texas (KRLD 105.3)
Betting Odds: The latest betting odds for this game can be found here.
Watch Online: This game can be live streamed online for free here.
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