The primary collection of the 2024 Seattle Mariners season is within the books, and there’s actually some unevenness to accompany their 2-2 begin.
Sunday: Mariners fall 5-1 to Pink Sox, break up opening collection
Sure, the M’s break up the collection with the Boston Pink Sox, however they arrive out of it with a minus-4 run differential as their two wins got here on a 1-0 shutout after which an extra-inning affair the place Seattle had just one run via the primary 9 frames.
With the Mariners now preparing for 3 video games in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians to shut out their opening homestand, let’s have a look at three huge questions left by the primary 4 contests of 2024.
Will the Seattle Mariners get a deal with on their strikeouts?
Loads has been made about how the Mariners retooled their lineup to chop down on strikeouts, each in terms of gamers and strategy.
Associated: Why Mariners hitters are embracing new strategy to offense
It’s an enormous a part of what new offensive coordinator Brant Brown was introduced in to assist with, and the top of spring coaching was promising because the offense appeared to be hitting its stride. Properly, then it was stopped in its tracks by the Pink Sox.
As of early Sunday night, 16 groups had performed a minimum of 4 video games. Of these 16 groups, the Mariners have much less strikeouts (45) than solely two of them: the Pittsburgh Pirates, who’ve 48, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who’ve 52 strikeouts however have performed six video games. In reality, the one different staff that has performed six video games, the San Diego Padres, nonetheless have two much less strikeouts than the Mariners on the marketing campaign.
As you may anticipate, followers are on excessive alert in terms of all this, particularly since Seattle struck out greater than all however one different staff in MLB final yr. Nevertheless it’s simply 4 video games out of 162 – there’s quite a lot of time to appropriate course.
“Offensively, we simply haven’t gotten it going but,” Mariners supervisor Scott Servais mentioned after Sunday’s 5-1 loss. “Once more, it’s 4 video games into the season. We must be extra constant there in what we’re doing, and we will probably be.”
One thing else to contemplate is that Boston’s pitching workers may simply be downright nasty this yr. That was some extent Pink Sox supervisor Alex Cora made.
“Like I’ve been saying all alongside: I do imagine we’re going to pitch,” Cora mentioned Sunday. “It simply type of reveals you what’s doable. You recognize that your rotation may be very gifted. We’ve been speaking about these guys for some time, since we received right here.”
There have been actually moments all through the collection the place it simply regarded like Boston’s pitchers have been on their recreation (as was additionally the case at time for Seattle’s workers).
For instance, this slider from Greg Weissert that went from wanting prefer it might graze Mitch Haniger’s knee all the best way to the outer half of the plate.
That is Greg Weissert.
And this pitch is nasty. pic.twitter.com/1kiPIuCgDm— Pink Sox (@RedSox) March 31, 2024
Or this good placement from a man with a well-recognized mustachioed face, “The Sheriff” Isaiah Campbell.
Allow us to show you how to get to know Isaiah Campbell… pic.twitter.com/JinAR4nWBT
— Pink Sox (@RedSox) March 31, 2024
And there’s more the place that came from.
So sure, the strikeouts are price monitoring, and hopefully this new strategy takes maintain sooner fairly than later. However don’t rule out the chance that Boston simply started a breakout season on the mound.
What’s up with Mitch Garver?
One among Seattle’s key additions this offseason was designated hitter Mitch Garver, who joined the staff after profitable the World Sequence with the Texas Rangers final yr.
Garver might be a solidifying piece in the midst of the Mariners’ batting order, however he must be in that lineup for that to occur, and up to now he has been unavailable greater than he’s been out there.
Although he pulled a double into the left area nook in Thursday night time’s opener for his first hit ever in Seattle, Garver was a late scratch from Friday’s lineup on account of again spasms. Followers hoped to see him again in motion Saturday, however he wasn’t. After which once more Sunday, it was the identical deal.
Per ROOT Sports’ Jen Mueller, Servais mentioned Sunday morning that Garver was “transferring round significantly better” however didn’t know if was an choice to pinch hit.
Clearly it’s not nice information that Garver, who has an in depth harm historical past and hasn’t performed 100 video games in a season since 2018, has already missed 3 times as many video games as he’s performed. Hopefully the M’s are simply being cautious with the 33-year-old Garver’s muscle mass on the coldest time within the baseball calendar, giving him a little bit further relaxation earlier than sending him again onto the sector for an evening recreation on Monday.
Is the true Mitch Haniger again?
Talking of 33-year-old guys named Mitch with intensive harm histories, how about Mitch Haniger?
The shock transfer of the offseason by the Mariners was the one which despatched Robbie Ray to San Francisco and introduced the one-time All-Star proper fielder again to Seattle, and up to now he’s regarded much more just like the Haniger of previous than the one who performed 118 video games complete over the earlier two seasons.
Mitch Haniger feels extra snug this season again with Mariners
Haniger rolled his spectacular spring coaching into the common season, going reverse area Thursday for the primary dwelling run of the Mariners’ season. He then added an RBI single in Saturday’s win, and he doubled and scored Seattle’s lone run on Sunday.
Up to now, he’s 4 for 14 (.286), although he did strike out two instances in every of the final three video games of the collection. Then once more, who didn’t?
Much more vital, he posted. It didn’t look like he was anticipated to play every single day going into the season, however with Garver out, Haniger stepped up, hitting cleanup on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Garver’s absence additionally allowed Haniger to play a pair of video games because the DH, which isn’t the worst factor.
It’s type of laborious to anticipate an excessive amount of out of Haniger this season contemplating how up and down his profession has been on account of accidents, however when he’s stayed wholesome, he’s at all times produced. If this collection is an indication of issues to return, which means one thing resembling the 2021 model of Haniger is again within the Mariners’ lineup, it could be an enormous growth.
The Seattle Mariners this week
Radio protection of all video games on Seattle Sports activities 710 AM and the Seattle Sports activities app
• Monday: Mariners vs. Guardians, 6:40 p.m. (pregame 5:30)
• Tuesday: Mariners vs. Guardians, 6:40 p.m. (pregame 5:30)
• Wednesday: Mariners vs. Guardians, 1:10 p.m. (pregame midday)
• Friday: Mariners at Brewers, 5:10 p.m. (pregame 4)
• Saturday: Mariners vs. Guardians, 4:10 p.m. (pregame 3)
• Sunday: Mariners vs. Guardians, 11:10 a.m. (pregame 10)
Extra Seattle Mariners protection
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• Is the Seattle Mariners’ protection going to be an enormous concern this yr?
