You know how sometimes a pitcher’s duel gets hyped, and then it’s just… okay? Well, yesterday’s showdown between our own Logan Gilbert and the Rangers’ Jacob deGrom delivered on *all* that promise and then some, with our boys pulling out a gritty 4-3 win at T-Mobile Park. These two former Stetson Hatters combined for a ridiculous 23 strikeouts, and deGrom was carrying a perfect game through five innings. It felt like whoever blinked first was gonna take the L, but even with a couple of missteps from Gilbert, our offense clawed back and got him the win. And get this: Logan Gilbert actually led all of MLB yesterday in whiffs, clocking in a mind-blowing 24 to deGrom’s 20, despite having one fewer strikeout. That’s a stat that tells you everything!
Cal Raleigh’s Game Plan Ignites Gilbert’s Nasty Slider
Early on, it was a real slog for our Mariners hitters. deGrom was dealing. Our best at-bat the first time through the order? Of course, it was Cal Raleigh, battling deGrom for nine pitches before finally striking out on a blazing 99.6 mph fastball. Seriously, can we get decimal points on the ribbon board already? It read 100, but it was 99.6! Still, the M’s were making deGrom work, forcing him into good counts. He finished the second inning at 37 pitches, way more than Gilbert’s 24. But then came the third, and it only took two pitches to flip that script. Nicky Lopez found a hole in the infield, and then Joc Pederson jumped a first-pitch slider from Gilbert for a two-run shot. It wasn’t a terrible pitch, kinda away from Pederson, but probably still a little too much on the plate.
The Battle, The Comeback, and That Slider
But let’s talk about Gilbert’s slider, because it was absolutely NASTY yesterday. It boasted an eye-popping 75% whiff rate, and he threw it 40 times, leading with it 12 times to start an at-bat. That felt like a different sequence than we’re used to, right? Gilbert actually credited Cal Raleigh for cooking up a great game plan, especially after he felt like he fell into some predictable patterns in his last outing against the A’s. Logan explained, “Like with Joc, we got him with the slider early, so he probably thought we were going to it next time. But then also other guys, we went heavy spin, like with Duran, and then next time went three or four straight fastballs. So I think we did a good job there. They’re trying to look at how we’re probably scouting them, and then next time through, maybe pitch them different. I think Cal did a good job there.” You gotta love that catcher-pitcher synergy! Even after striking out eight times in the first three innings, our guys decided to switch things up, and it paid off huge.
This team showed some serious fight yesterday, gutting out a 4-3 win against a tough pitcher. Getting a W in a game like that, where deGrom is on fire, shows what this squad is capable of. We need to keep that energy, keep that smart pitching from Gilbert, and those clutch adjustments from Raleigh going forward. It’s early in the season, but these kinds of wins set the tone!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Lookout Landing.
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