The Seattle Mariners went up against the Cleveland Guardians in a battle of American League division leaders, and, well, that Cleveland team is pretty good.
The Mariners’ less-talked-about trade deadline need
The Guardians rebounded after losing 8-5 in a series opener that saw the M’s break out the bats, cruising to an 8-0 win Wednesday and then coming back from an early deficit Thursday to take the finale 6-3.
That leaves the Mariners with a 44-33 record, and they have now lost two straight after winning four in a row and eight of their last nine before Wednesday.
Here’s a detailed look at where things stand for the Mariners and a few things to know heading into the week.
Standings
The M’s remain in firm control of the AL West lead, owning an eight-game lead over the second-place Houston Astros (35-40) and a 8 1/2-game advantage over the third-place Texas Rangers (34-40). The Rangers are off Thursday, while the Astros came back to beat the AL-worst Chicago White Sox 5-3 in the afternoon.
As for the bigger playoff picture in the AL, the series loss stings for the Mariners.
The Guardians (46-26) clinched the season series over Seattle with four wins in six contests between the two, meaning if they finish the season with the same record, tie goes to Cleveland. Seattle currently holds the fourth-best record in the AL, behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees (51-25), the Baltimore Orioles (48-25) and Guardians. Only the top two division winners will get byes from the wild card round of the playoffs.
Who’s hot for Seattle Mariners
• Utility player Dylan Moore
3 for 10 vs. Cleveland with two homers, a double and two steals.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi 2:10:24 pic.twitter.com/sciqJ2jEOD
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 20, 2024
• Outfielder Victor Robles
5 for 14 since joining Seattle this month with two doubles, six walks and four steals.
• Starting pitcher George Kirby
Four earned runs allowed over last four starts (24 innings).
• Relief pitcher Ryne Stanek
Scoreless outings in 11 of last 12 appearances.
What’s next
The Mariners now head to Miami for three games against a last-place Marlins team that is a whopping 24 games back in the NL East. Miami (25-39) is coming off two straight wins and a series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Marlins had dropped 12 of 14 before that. Seattle is set to see three straight left-handed starting pitchers from Miami.
Schedule and pitching probables:
• Friday, 4:10 p.m. – Mariners (George Kirby) at Marlins (Trevor Rogers)
• Saturday, 1:10 p.m. – Mariners (Logan Gilbert) at Marlins (Jesús Luzardo)
• Sunday, 10:40 a.m. – Mariners (Bryce Miller) at Marlins (Braxton Garrett)
Radio coverage on Seattle Sports of every game begins with pregame 70 minutes before first pitch. Click here for details on how to stream Mariners Radio Network broadcasts from Seattle Sports.
Trade scouting
This is a series worth watching closely for fans interested in possible trade targets. The Marlins will undoubtedly be in sell mode before the July 30 MLB trade deadline – in fact, they have been there since early May when they shipped two-time batting champ Luis Arraez to San Diego.
Just about every key piece for Miami could be on the trade block, including:
• Left-handed reliever Tanner Scott
1.74 ERA, 1.161 WHIP, 34 strikeouts, 21 walks, 31 innings
Free agent after this season
• First baseman Josh Bell
.247/.311/.376 (.687 OPS), 7 home runs, 56 strikeouts, 22 walks
Free agent after this season
• Outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.
.266/.333/.446 (.780 OPS), 10 home runs, 13 stolen bases, 72 strikeouts, 26 walks
Under club control through 2026
• Outfielder Bryan De La Cruz
.245/.296/.424 (.720 OPS), 13 home runs, 80 strikeouts, 20 walks
Under club control through 2027
Seattle Mariners injury updates
The return of second baseman Jorge Polanco from a hamstring strain could be imminent. He has appeared in two games each with High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma on a rehab assignment, going 3 for 12 (.250) with a double and four walks. Who goes down when Polanco comes back will be an interesting decision, with rookie first baseman Tyler Locklear expected to stick with the M’s for now due to a run of left-handed pitching that Seattle will face in Miami.
Beyond the active roster, there is some concern about rookie starting pitcher Emerson Hanco*ck after he left a start for Tacoma on Wednesday night with a back issue. The 25-year-old right-hander is essentially Seattle’s No. 6 starter, something the Mariners used to their advantage last week when they called him up to make a start against the White Sox, allowing them to push back their rotation a day. That worked out well, as the trio of Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert all earned wins in the Mariners’ important sweep of the Texas Rangers.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Has catching helped Mariners’ Mitch Garver hit? Pierzynski’s take
• Family of Ohio native Luke Raley plays role in his big game vs. Cleveland
• A new dilemma Mariners face after Ty France’s return
• Could Mariners win World Series with current roster?
• Seattle Mariners Insider: Unexpected move that may pay off for all involved
