(Sports Network) - Erik Bedard will make his debut today for the Seattle Mariners, who begin the 2008 season versus the American League West-rival Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game set from Safeco Field.

The prized pitcher was acquired from Baltimore in the offseason to bolster Seattle's beleaguered rotation. The Mariners gave up top prospect Adam Jones, reliever George Sherrill and three other prospects. Bedard finished the 2007 campaign with a 13-5 record and a career-best 3.16 ERA in 28 games before an oblique strain ended his season prematurely. He also fanned 221 batters over 182 innings.

The southpaw owns a 4-1 record and a 2.50 earned run average in six career starts against the Rangers. Bedard proved his domination over Texas by going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in two starts last season.

Seattle finished 88-74 in 2007, six games back of the division champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It hasn't made the playoffs since 2001.

The Mariners will once again be led offensively by outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, third baseman Adrian Beltre and first baseman Richie Sexson, with new outfielder Brad Wilkerson joining the mix.

Beltre enjoyed his best season with the club last year, hitting .276 with 26 homers and 99 RBI. Beltre also scored 87 times, swiped 14 bases and won his first Gold Glove. Suzuki, a seven-time Gold Glove winner, hit .351 with 238 hits, six homers, 68 RBI, 111 runs scored and 37 stolen bases in 2007. As usual, his name will be discussed in MVP talks towards the end of the season.

Wilkerson signed late in the offseason with Seattle after spending the last two years in Texas. He hit .234 with 20 homers and 62 RBI a year ago.

Kevin Millwood will try to silence the Seattle bats when he takes the ball for the Rangers tonight. Millwood will start on Opening Day for the third consecutive season despite a career-worst 5.16 ERA last year. He also went 10-14 in 31 starts last season, while going 2-3 with a 5.21 earned run average in six appearances against Seattle.

Millwood, a right-hander, is 7-6 with a 4.28 earned run average in 15 career games against the Mariners.

Texas finished last in the AL West last season with a 75-87 record under first-year manager Ron Washington. During the offseason, the Rangers added outfielders Josh Hamilton and Milton Bradley to team up with current sluggers Hank Blalock and Michael Young.

Young has played more than 150 games, hit at least .300 and clubbed at least 200 hits for the fifth straight year in 2007. Blalock will try to bounce back after missing some time because of a procedure to remove a rib that was compressing an artery in his right arm. He batted .293 with 10 homers and 33 RBI in 58 games.

Bradley split last season between Oakland and San Diego, compiling a .306 batting average with 13 home runs, 37 RBI and 37 runs scored in 61 games.

Seattle went 11-8 against the division-rival Rangers last season, one year after Texas took 11-of-19 games from the Mariners.

Texas has lost five straight at Safeco Field and eight of its last nine as the visitor in this series.