The Mariners are sitting at a dead even 50-50 record through 100 games, and that famous Tommy Lasorda quote couldn’t hit harder: they’ve got 62 games left to prove exactly what kind of team they are. We’ve been waiting for this squad to click all season, and frankly, the patience is wearing thin. But last weekend? We actually saw some glimpses of the competent team we know is in there, and that’s exactly what we need as the trade deadline looms.
Momentum is Everything, So Let’s Build It!
What we saw last weekend was a revelation. Cole Young was absolutely crushing it, blasting two huge home runs. And Julio Rodriguez? The man returned from the IL and immediately delivered a walk-off hit! That’s the kind of clutch performance that can ignite a team. Our pitching was mostly solid, too, which is huge. Now, the trick is to string some series wins together and actually build some momentum. This isn’t just about winning games, it’s about showing the league , and ourselves , what we’re capable of.
For this upcoming series against the Reds, we’ve got George Kirby on the bump for Game 1, with a 63.2% win probability, then Luis Castillo in Game 2 (53.8% chance), and Emerson Hancock for Game 3 (58.7%). Our batting (100 wRC+, 9th in the AL), starting pitching (87 FIP-, 2nd in MLB!), and bullpen (90 FIP-, 3rd) are all top-tier. Fielding (-25 FRV, 13th) needs work, sure, but the core is there. It’s time to put it all together.
The Reds Are Down, So Let’s Keep Them There
Don’t let last year’s surprise playoff appearance fool you. Sure, the Reds got in thanks to a historic Mets collapse, but they got trounced by the Dodgers in the Wild Card round. They started strong this year, but since May 1st, Cincinnati’s 24-42 record is the worst in baseball. That’s a flat-out crash.
They do have a few bright spots. Elly De La Cruz is one of the most dynamic young players in baseball, with exciting speed and power, and Sal Stewart has been pounding big league pitching in his first full season. Hunter Greene and Chase Burns are also flamethrowers in their rotation. But the rest of that roster? Lackluster, and their wave of young talent hasn’t really panned out. Their batting (91 wRC+, 13th in NL) is worse than ours, their starting pitching (106 FIP-, 10th) is worse, and their bullpen (116 FIP-, 14th) is way worse. This is a series we *should* dominate.
Game 1 on Monday, July 20th, with George Kirby on the mound, is huge. It’s time to build that momentum, prove what we’re made of, and finally start moving up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Direct RSS.
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