The Mariners are rolling into Boston this week, sitting at 64-73, a full five games back in the AL West and trailing Cleveland by five games for that third Wild Card spot. But get this: amazingly, the M’s aren’t out of it yet. That’s the 2026 American League for ya, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats, even when it feels like we’re just hanging on by a thread. After a rough weekend for the Red Sox in New York, they’re back home, and we’re heading in for a three-game showdown. Back in May, Boston took two out of three against us, just before their “Colorado Collapse” and what they call their “Turnaround for All Time.” That lone M’s win was a tight 3-1 game that Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle started, with Mass Pike giving up three runs in six innings before their bullpen stepped in.
Kirby and Woo: The Roller Coaster Ride
Our pitching staff has been a mixed bag, and this series will be a huge test. George Kirby, who thankfully didn’t face Boston back in June when he was dealing, has been a real Jekyll and Hyde in the last month. We’ve seen him absolutely own it, like his seven shutout innings against the Twins and his 7.1 innings of one-run ball against the Phillies. That’s the Kirby we know and love, the guy who can dominate any lineup. But then, we’ve also seen the struggles: 4.2 innings, five earned runs against the Astros, and a brutal 3.1 innings with six earned against the Brewers. His other August start was middle-of-the-road, just five innings for one run. Consistency is what we need from our ace right now.
Bryan Woo is another arm we’re watching closely. He also missed the Red Sox when they were in Seattle earlier this year. While Kirby was shutting down the Phillies last week, Woo struggled, giving up six runs in just four innings. He got hit for five runs by both the Rangers and Dodgers in July, too. It’s tough to see, but he has been racking up strikeouts, with five in each of his last four outings. He’ll need to find that rhythm against a Red Sox team that’s looking to seal up their postseason spot.
What’s On Tap in Beantown
The Red Sox are sending Payton Tolle to the mound in the opener. He’s still in his second MLB season, but Boston is counting on him to “be the stopper” and reverse their recent bad run. We know he struck out seven over 5.1 innings against the Marlins, so our bats need to be ready early. The series wraps up with the M’s not knowing exactly who will pitch for us in the finale, but Boston is countering with “Yankees Killer” Patrick Sandoval. His last outing tied his career high with seven strikeouts and he only gave up three hits in 5.1 innings, though one solo homer decided the game and he walked four. The stakes are huge every single game for us now. We might be down, but we are absolutely not out. Every pitch, every swing, every out matters. Let’s make some noise in Boston and show the AL we’re not done yet.
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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