Seattle Mariners outfielder Leody Taveras (4) steals second base as Chicago White Sox second base Lenyn Sosa (50) makes a late tag during the sixth inning at Rate Field on May 21. David Banks-Imagn Images

Seattle Mariners Make Interesting Lineup Decision on Saturday vs. Astros

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated May 24, 2025 1:30 PM ET

Despite hitting home runs in two of his last three games, the Seattle Mariners are not playing outfielder Leody Taveras in Game 3 of a four-game set against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Saturday.

Instead, Dylan Moore will get the start in right field against left-hander Framber Valdez, with Ben WIlliamson playing third and Leo Rivas playing second. Donovan Solano will play first. Jorge Polanco, Taveras, Rowdy Tellez and Miles Mastrobuoni are all out of the lineup.

Wooooo! Bryan's on the bump. #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/5FSjNRgylW
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 24, 2025

The decisions, however, should open the Mariners to some decent platoon options later in the game against the Astros' bullpen, But closer Hader is also left-handed, which could complicate things if the M's have emptied the bench earlier in the game.

Taveras, 26, was picked up off waivers from the Texas Rangers earlier this month, and he's gone 6-for-19 over his last five games with those two homers. His home run in the eighth inning on Wednesday helped the M's beat the Chicago White Sox.

A lifetime .239 hitter, Taveras is a six-year veteran of the Rangers and Mariners. He helped Texas win the 2023 World Series, playing in 143 games that season.

A switch-hitter, Taveras is a career .234 hitter against lefties with a .616 OPS, so perhaps that's part of the reason he's out of the lineup.

The Mariners will take on the Astros with first pitch coming at 1:10 p.m. PT. Valdez has gone 3-4 this season with a 3.57 ERA. Bryan Woo is 5-2 with a 2.65 ERA and looks like an All-Star.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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