Our Mariners’ pitching staff, currently stuck at a dismal 28th ranking in baseball with a 5.39 ERA since the All-Star break, is about to face Henry Bolte this weekend at T-Mobile Park. This guy is legitimately one of baseball’s most explosive players, and if you’re battling in fantasy playoffs, you better have him on your squad for this series. With just 2.5 weeks left in the regular season, every move counts.
The Green Light on Hitters: Who’s Hot and Who’s Facing Our M’s
Let’s talk about Bolte first, because the stats are wild. He’s the fastest runner in baseball with some serious pop, which is why he’s been the Athletics’ regular leadoff hitter. Since the beginning of August, he’s batting an insane .320, and in September alone, he’s already racked up four homers and five steals. He thrives at his offense-inducing home park, which is exactly where he’ll be playing this weekend against our M’s. Yeah, our pitching needs to figure it out, because Bolte is coming to feast.
Beyond the M’s challenge, there are other bats you gotta grab. Ty France, over with the Padres, has been absolutely tearing it up in the second half, hitting .324 with a .937 OPS. It’s wild that he’s still on waivers in so many leagues. But that’s gonna change fast because France and the Padres kick off next week with four games at Coors Field against a Rockies staff that’s last in baseball with a ridiculous 5.50 ERA. If you’re in a deeper league, look at Jake Cronenworth, who’s been hitting second lately, or catcher Luis Campusano, who’s pulling DH duty often enough to stay in the lineup. Then there’s Mickey Moniak, a boring veteran on the Rockies who’s having a quietly productive season. The dude has a .957 OPS at home and an .835 OPS against right-handers this year. Next week, the Rockies get seven home games, five of them against right-handed starters. That’s a league-winner right there. If Moniak is gone, scoop up his teammate Cole Carrigg.
Pitching Prowess: Who Can Carry Your Team Through the Stretch
On the pitching side, you might not be blown away by Cal Quantrill’s stuff, but his numbers since August are no joke: a 1.64 ERA and 0.82 WHIP. His control is outstanding with a 1.4 BB/9 rate, and he’s getting just enough swings-and-misses at 7.8 K/9. His next two starts are against the D-backs, who rank 29th in OPS against righties, and the Blue Jays, 29th in runs scored. That’s a sweet setup. And then there’s Mason Montgomery, a Pirates reliever. It’s genuinely ridiculous that he’s still available in most Yahoo leagues. Even with only a few teams left alive, anyone could use a reliable arm like that for the final push.
We’ve only got a couple weeks left in this regular season, folks, and every game, every player move, is magnified. Our Mariners just pulled off a solid 4-3 win against the Rangers, which is exactly the kind of energy we need heading into this critical stretch. Let’s see if our pitching can tighten up and shut down guys like Bolte, because we’re not ready for anything less than a fight every single day. 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 Yahoo Sports.
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