Mitch Garver News: Playing time on upswing

Garver will start at designated hitter and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Athletics.

Garver will stay in the lineup for the fifth time in six games, but his uptick in playing time has mostly been a byproduct of Seattle facing five left-handed starting pitchers during that stretch. The 34-year-old is slashing just .179/.263/.274 with a 33.9 percent strikeout rate over 118 plate appearances versus righties this season, so he doesn't have much of a case to move outside of his current short-side platoon role.