Boy, how much a week can change things at this point in the season.
After being swept by the red-hot San Francisco Giants last weekend, the Seattle Mariners were sitting in last place in the AL West following a disappointing 3-7 start. Now they’re just 1.5 games off the division-leading Angels after a 5-1 homestand that ended with a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers, who came to town as the AL West leaders.
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Here’s three things that stood out from the series sweep.
Solid showing from offense
The offense didn’t get much going after Cal Raleigh’s two-run home run in the first inning of the series finale, but it was an overall solid series for the M’s lineup. They scored five runs on Friday, nine on Saturday and three more on Sunday for 17 total runs over the three games – their most in a series this season.
One area the team showed a needed improvement in was hitting with runners in scoring position, albeit a very small sample size. After entering the series with a league-worst .152 average with runners in scoring position, the M’s went 4 for 14 in those situations against Texas.
Is it a coincidence the Mariners looked better hitting at T-Mobile Park on the same weekend their order of torpedo bats arrived? Not everyone is using them as of yet, so perhaps it is. But they certainly seem to making a difference for Raleigh, who homered in all three games.
The M’s switch-hitting backstop entered the three-game set hitting just .184 with a .633 OPS during a slow start, but he’s leaving town with that average up to .220 and OPS up to .849. He also set the club’s record for most career home runs by a catcher with his blast Friday.
Unlikely bullpen contributions
The Mariners have one of the league’s most lethal closers in Andrés Muñoz, but with the bullpen facing some key injuries early, it was unclear how they were going to get the ball to the flamethrowing right-hander on a game-to-game basis.
We’re starting to see who’s emerging from the group in the bullpen, and two of the biggest contributions have come from unlikely sources. Right-handers Carlos Vargas and Eduard Bazardo have been effective so far and each lead Seattle relievers with 9 2/3 innings pitched. Vargas in particular came through against Texas, earning his first career win with a scoreless inning on Friday and being one of four relievers to pitch a scoreless frame in Sunday’s victory. Left-hander Gabe Speier has also been excellent while tossing 6 2/3 scoreless innings, which includes two in the series against Texas while facing a dangerous pocket of the lineup that includes shortstop Corey Seager and second baseman Josh Smith.
The 65 innings already thrown by the M’s bullpen ranks second in baseball, and the distance covered by Vargas and Bazardo has certainly helped. More good news could be coming for the bullpen soon. Right-handers Matt Brash and Troy Taylor are each in the process of rehab stints with Tacoma. Brash made his first appearance and Taylor his fifth with the Rainiers on Sunday. Seattle Sports’ Mariners insider Shannon Drayer reported on social media that Taylor could be activated during the upcoming series against Cincinnati.
Important early wins
The M’s 8-8 start isn’t anything to write home about, but they are sitting in a favorable position among their AL West peers early on. They just won consecutive series against their toughest competition during a 5-1 homestand against the Astros and Rangers, improving their record to 7-3 against the division. No other team from the AL West is above .500 in division play thus far, and Seattle has played at least four more division games than its rivals.
Seattle Mariners news and analysis
• Seattle Mariners OF Robles has no regrets over catch that injured him
• M’s catcher Cal Raleigh homers again, scores from 2nd on passed ball
• Another one: Seattle Mariners now have 9 prospects in BA’s Top 100
• Debuting new torpedo bat, Cal Raleigh makes Seattle Mariners history
• What it means for Seattle Mariners that AquaSox may be ‘best team’ in minors
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