Cal Raleigh's Homer Wasn't Enough as Mariners' Bullpen Crumbles Against Oakland

The Mariners looked ready to keep rolling after a big series win over the Rangers this past weekend. Then the bullpen happened, and a 4-6 loss to the Athletics on Monday night at T-Mobile Park wiped away all those good vibes.

Cal Raleigh launched a solo shot to keep things competitive, but Oakland's Shea Langeliers answered with his own solo homer in the sixth inning to put the A's ahead. That's when everything fell apart for Seattle's pitching staff.

The Bullpen Ran Out of Gas

Here's the brutal truth: manager Dan Wilson had his hands tied trying to piece together the late innings. Closer Andres Muñoz couldn't go because of heavy usage in the Rangers series and the games leading up to it. Lefty setup man Gabe Speier had the same problem. Eduard Bazardo was only available if Seattle had the lead, which they didn't.

That left Wilson improvising with what he had left, and Oakland made Seattle pay for it. When your closer and your primary setup guy are both gassed, and you're asking replacement-level arms to get outs in a tight game, you're going to lose most of those. The A's proved it Monday night.

The Cost of Back-to-Back Wins

Those victories and the series win over the Rangers looked great on the surface. But as the old saying goes, baseball doesn't let you have it both ways. The bullpen arms that got Seattle through that stretch were absolutely taxed, and the Mariners paid the price against Oakland.

Julio Rodriguez watched Langeliers' homer sail over the wall in the sixth. He and Raleigh did what they could with their bats, but you can't win 4-6 when your relief pitching falls apart late.

The Mariners need Muñoz and Speier back and fresh for the next one. That's the only way this team gets back on track after a rough night at the ballpark.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.