The Seattle Mariners (64-61) did not have a good week... Five-straight losses from Tuesday to Saturday, with a day off on Monday. Sunday is a new week, and a new Seattle Mariners team showed up. 10 runs on the Pittsburgh Pirates.
George Kirby (9-9) pitched five shutout innings and allowed two runs and four hits, striking out five and walking two. Kirby needed this strong outing after allowing 11 runs and 12 hits in 3 2/3 innings his last time out, in a 15-1 loss at Detroit Tuesday.
The Mariners offense redeemed themselves for today, with 10 runs after scoring only 9 runs TOTAL in the previous five games, all losses. The entire lineup, 1-9, got a base hit for the Mariners today as well. Cal Raleigh also hit his 27th homer of the season, he has been amazing all year for the Mariners, this team goes as Raleigh goes.
Biggest takeaway of the Mariners 2024 season.
— Seattle Mariners ON Tap (@MarinersONTap) August 18, 2024
PAY CAL RALEIGH.
What do we make of this? The Mariners were very upset about how they have been playing, many players spoke up about it on Saturday night after the fifth straight loss. They came out a proved it today, they were all aggressive at the plate, and the runs scored backed it up.
The issue is, next up is the Los Angeles Dodgers (73-52). The Dodgers 73 wins are tied for the most wins in the entire MLB, and they are 33-22 at home this year.
If things would've gone different this week against the Pirates and Tigers, I would say that it's okay if the Mariners go to LA and only take one out of three. The issue is, they took ONE out of SIX against two mediocre teams this week. They can't afford to only take one win to start this week.
The biggest concern this week is falling too far behind in the AL West or in the Wild Card and this season virtually coming to an end. The Mariners still sit 4 games back on the Houston Astros in the West, and 5.5 games back in the Wild Card.
While the Astros also have a tough schedule ahead, the Mariners have the Dodgers on the road, then the Giants and Rays at home. It's not the toughest part of the schedule, but its not a cake walk. If the Mariners continue to play they way they this week, we could be on the outside looking in around 6-8 games back in the West and in the Wild Card.
Overall, my takeaway is, great win today, we need to use this spark and turn it around NOW, or the season will be over before we know it.