The Seattle Mariners head to Sacramento for a Sunday afternoon showdown against the Athletics, with first pitch scheduled for 4:05 PM ET on September 13, 2026 at Sutter Health Park. Seattle sends right-hander Bryce Miller to the mound against Athletics starter Jacob Lopez. With the regular season winding toward its final weeks, every game in the standings carries real weight, and the Mariners need a road win to keep pace in the AL West race.
Pitching Matchup: Bryce Miller vs. Jacob Lopez
Bryce Miller gets the ball for Seattle, and his assignment is straightforward: attack the zone, generate weak contact, and keep the Mariners in a game they need to win on the road. Miller has shown the ability to generate strikeouts and limit walks, making him one of the more reliable arms in Seattle's rotation when he is locating his fastball effectively.
On the other side, Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez draws the start for Oakland. Lopez is a name worth watching — a young arm with the potential to keep Seattle's lineup off-balance, particularly if his secondary offerings are working. The Mariners will need to do their homework and grind out quality at-bats against a pitcher they may not have seen in large sample sizes.
Keys to Watch for the Mariners
- Miller's command early: If Miller can establish his fastball in the first two innings and keep the Athletics off the bases, Seattle should be in a strong position late in this game. Trouble in the first inning on the road can snowball quickly.
- Plate discipline against Lopez: Facing a lesser-known starter, the Mariners must resist the urge to chase. Working counts, drawing walks, and making Lopez throw pitches will be the difference between a crooked-number inning and a quiet afternoon at the plate.
- Bullpen management: With the regular season in its final stretch, Scott Servais will be balancing arms carefully. If Miller can go deep into the game, it preserves the bullpen for the week ahead — a genuine strategic advantage down the stretch.
- Road focus: Sutter Health Park is not T-Mobile Park. The Mariners need to bring their road identity and match the energy of a team that plays hard regardless of record.
Prediction
This game sets up favorably for Seattle on paper. Bryce Miller is a proven commodity, and Lopez is an unknown quantity at this level. The Mariners offense should find enough gaps to generate runs, and if Miller pitches into the sixth inning, Seattle's bullpen should be able to close it out. Call it Mariners 4, Athletics 2. Expect this one to be tighter than the score suggests — it usually is on the road — but Seattle has enough pitching to get the job done.
Watch the game on NBCSCA or Mariners.TV, or catch the call on Seattle Sports 710 AM.
