Our Seattle Mariners just handed the Boston Red Sox a serious reality check, taking an 8-3 win that contributed to them dropping “back-to-back series losses” to us and the Yankees. Seriously, Boston thought they could coast through this part of the season, taking a “long-term outlook” on their squad. But when you start losing series, even if you’re “all but locked into your postseason spot,” it forces a rethink, and our boys showed ’em you can’t just phone it in!
That “Long-Term Outlook” Just Blew Up in Their Face
The Red Sox strategy was pretty clear: protect the guys. They put first baseman Willson Contreras on the injured list, made sure outfielders Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu got extra rest days, and even built in extra off days for starting pitcher Sonny Gray. It was all about having everyone fresh for later, right? Wrong. The source straight up says this hands-off approach “played something of a role” in them losing those series to the New York Yankees and our Mariners. You gotta wonder what the heck they were thinking! You can’t just turn off the intensity switch and expect to keep winning. Now, as they kick off their “penultimate series within the division” against the Baltimore Orioles, it sounds like the organization is finally waking up and realizing it’s “time to cut the shit.” It’s about time they got serious, and frankly, we’re proud our M’s were part of that wake-up call.
Pitching Puzzles and Desperate Lineup Shuffles
So, how are they planning to “cut the shit”? It starts on the mound with rookie Jake Bennett. He’s making his first start on “regular rest” this month, which is huge because the Red Sox “could use some length” from him. Bennett’s had a rollercoaster August: he started with a rough “skid,” giving up “at least three earned runs in four consecutive starts.” Yikes! But then he turned it around with “six scoreless innings” in his last outing and has piled up “13 strikeouts across 13.0 innings” in his last two. They’re praying he found something, because they’re facing an Orioles team that already stomped them 10-3 earlier this year, with Brandon Young’s 3.38 ERA on the bump. Plus, the Red Sox are shuffling the deck with their position players, too. Trevor Story gets the night off for Isaiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop, and Rafaela sits again, with Eli White getting the nod in the outfield. It screams desperation when you’re making these kinds of moves this late in the season. On the other side, Adley Rutschman is back for the O’s after a three-game absence, ready to face the team that drafted him first overall.
The Red Sox and Orioles are going to battle it out all weekend, and you know Boston is trying to “put their foot back on the gas” after our Mariners showed them what’s what. We’ll be watching to see if they actually learned their lesson. Maybe they should have just kept playing hard from the start, eh? Let’s hope the O’s keep the pressure on and show them how real baseball is played. Go M’s!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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