Yordan Alvarez Development on Saturday is Troubling News for Mariners originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are in a highly competitive race for first place in the AL West with only a 1.5-game difference between the two teams entering Saturday.

TBS analyst Ron Darling, who'll call two of the Astros' upcoming games for national broadcasts, discusses various Houston topics ahead of the stretch run.

The Astros, having been shut out in three consecutive games over 28 innings following Tuesday’s 1-0 loss in 10 innings to the Tigers, could use a major jolt in their lineup. They might be about to get one with the return of slugger Yordan Alvarez.

Hunter Brown pitched six shutout innings against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers and the Houston Astros' bullpen delivered three scoreless innings. Consid