Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field marks a couple of firsts for the Mariners. It'll be Seattle's first appearance on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball telecast since 2004, and it'll be pitching ace Felix Hernandez's debut on Chicago's North Side.

The last time the Cubs hosted Seattle, Hernandez was a fledgling starter trying to find his footing at the major league level.

That was 2007, when King Felix was coming off the only losing season he would endure in a Cy Young-winning career. Hernandez faced the Cubs three years later, giving up two runs on five hits through nine innings, through the Mariners would eventually lose in 13 frames.

Hernandez is coming off a two-month stint on the DL in which the Mariners dropped from AL West leaders to Wild Card contenders. Their playoff hopes hang by a thread. The road only gets tougher when they leave Wrigley; they play 10 straight against Boston, the Los Angeles Angels, and Detroit without a day off.

For Chicago, Sunday's finale ends a forgettable month. Their 2-8 skid heading into the All-Star break dwindled their lead over St. Louis to 6 ½ games.

A blockbuster trade for Yankee Aroldis Chapman last week bolstered a shaky bullpen. The Cubs reportedly eyed Chapman for months before pulling the triggers, sending a four-player package of prospects - including highly-touted shortstop Gleyber Torres - to the Bronx in return.

One of Chicago's few weaknesses is their bullpen, whose 3.83 ERA ranked menially among National League teams when the trade went through.

Pitching Matchup: Felix Hernandez (5-4, 3.45 ERA) vs. Kyle Hendricks (9-7, 2.39 ERA)

When: Sunday, July 31, 2016

Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Ill.

Time: 8 p.m. EST

TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Live Stream: WatchESPN