Logan Gilbert Is Headed to Texas With a 6.75 ERA and the Mariners Are Desperate to Stop the Bleeding

The Seattle Mariners are spiraling. After winning the AL West for the first time since 2001 and coming one win away from a World Series trip last season, they've already lost four of their last five games entering Monday's series opener against the Texas Rangers in Arlington. The latest gut punch came Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels: an 8-7, 11-inning loss where Seattle squandered three separate leads. This is not how defending division champs are supposed to start the season.

The Mariners' Offense Has Vanished

Here's the brutal part: it's not just bad luck. The numbers are alarming. Seattle struck out 15 times in that Angels loss alone. Across the league, the Mariners rank second-to-last in batting average at .198 and have the second-most strikeouts at the plate with 104. That's not a team finding its rhythm early in the season. That's a team that looks lost up there.

Center fielder Julio Rodriguez isn't panicking, at least not publicly. "We know who we are," he said. "We're a great defensive team, offensive team, and we pitch well. We're going to give trouble to anybody." But words only go so far when you're leaving runners stranded and watching strikeouts pile up.

Gilbert Gets a Chance to Reset Against a Vulnerable Rangers Team

The good news for Seattle: they're walking into a Rangers team that just got swept at home by Cincinnati. Texas came out hot, winning four of its first five games, then lost four straight. The Rangers managed just four runs on 18 hits over that three-game series against the Reds, struck out 31 times total, and went 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker is asking hard questions: "What did we miss? What are things I can do better to get guys ready and win more games?"

Logan Gilbert will start for Seattle with a 0-1 record and a 6.75 ERA after getting shelled by the New York Yankees in his last outing, allowing five runs in 5 1/3 innings. But here's the silver lining: Gilbert owns a 5-2 record with a 2.90 ERA in 16 career appearances against the Rangers. Jacob deGrom takes the mound for Texas at 0-0 with a 5.79 ERA. The 37-year-old's Rangers tenure has been inconsistent, though he's 2-2 with a 3.48 ERA in seven career starts against Seattle.

First pitch Monday night in Arlington. Both teams need this one bad.

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