‘Elite’: Mariners can’t stop, won’t stop winning series behind unwavering rotation
By pregame warmups, George Kirby realized just how sensational Saturday night’s stuff would be. The domineering, I’m-better-than-you fastballs. The vicious sweeper. The developing splitter, all with meticulous command.
The rest of T-Mobile Park knew what was in store for visiting Arizona by the top of the first inning when the Diamondbacks ran into Kirby, a metaphorical buzzsaw. It was the same unshakable plan – steal strike one, then start painting.
Kirby whizzed four-seam fastballs, one after another, past Diamondbacks hitters in the first frame and beyond. He fanned the opening side and went on to generate 23 swings-and-misses on the night throughout a sparkling shutout.
After seven innings, Kirby had struck out a career-high 12 and surrendered two hits. The standing ovation from 38,956 was well-deserved.
And emerging late for a 3-1 win over the Diamondbacks, Seattle secured its fourth consecutive series win.
“You just know from the beginning. You start warming up and you’re like, ‘OK, this is going to be a good day,’” Kirby said Saturday night. “You’ve just got to execute, and I did my job today.”
Seattle’s rotation was widely considered the best in baseball upon Opening Day in March – and despite early hiccups, what Mariner pitchers have achieved over their last 15 games is historic. Before Kirby’s start, Seattle was one of three teams in MLB history (1901-c) to average a 1.50 ERA, notch nine-plus strikeouts, and allow nine or fewer baserunners over a 14-game span, per Mariners PR.
The 26-year-old only bolstered those numbers.
“(George) is one of the best in the league for a reason,” Mariners first baseman Ty France said. “He just jumped out of the gates early and dominated. I think (in) the first inning, he threw almost all fastballs. I’m not surprised.
“He’s a pro.”
Luis Castillo turned in six quality innings in Thursday’s series finale with the Texas Rangers for a narrow, 4-3 win in the rubber match. Emerson Hancock outdueled Arizona All-Star Zac Gallen at home Friday with the Diamondbacks, an opener where Seattle outfielder Mitch Haniger mashed a grand slam against his former team.
But it’s the rotation that continues to post numbers that pop off the page. The Mariners are the only team in MLB to roster five pitchers already with at least three quality starts in 2024. No other club has four, let alone five.
Seattle also became the first-ever MLB rotation to allow two-or-fewer runs and strike out at least four batters in 15 consecutive starts.
A 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks in Sunday’s finale dampened spirits and denied the Mariners a sweep, but it was to no fault of Logan Gilbert, who fanned nine and surrendered two runs across 6 ⅓ strong frames.
Instead, Seattle’s offense sputtered again. With a one-run lead, each of the Mariners’ final 20 batters were retired in order and Arizona broke through via familiar-face Ketel Marte’s go-ahead double in the eighth.
Still, the Mariners are 15-13 and remain in first place of the AL West over Texas (15-14) by one-half of a game.
“Our pitching staff is elite. One of the best in the game,” France said Saturday. Honestly, all it takes some nights is just one run.”
J-ROD SHOW OBLITERATES FIRST HOMER
The drought lasted much longer than anyone could have anticipated, and certainly longer than Julio Rodriguez would have liked, but Seattle’s superstar finally, mercifully, ended a 22-game stretch without a home run throughout his young season.
Rodriguez obliterated Texas starter Dane Dunning’s inside sinker and sent it 435 feet, a two-run shot in Arlington that landed in the upper deck of Globe Life Field in Monday’s series opener.
“Long time, no see, my good friend,” Rodriguez said in the locker room, smiling. “It felt pretty good. Pretty good.”
Rodriguez’s third-inning blast pushed an early Seattle lead to four, and Gilbert dominated the reigning World Series-champion Rangers across 6 2/3 brilliant shutout innings, good for a two-hit shutout.
Meanwhile, the J-Rod Show is heating up. Entering Sunday, he was 18-for-46 (.391) with the home run and five RBI in his previous 11 games.
“I was pretty confident Julio was going to hit a home run this year,” Servais said tongue-in-cheek, earning a chorus of laughter from reporters surrounding him. “Maybe more confident than he was. All of these guys… you get (this far) into the season, you want to make sure those zeroes go away on the statline.
“And that was a legit homer. (Julio) smoked that ball.”
SHORT HOPS
– Captain down: SS J.P. Crawford hit the 10-day injured list on Thursday (right oblique strain) and will miss the remainder of the homestand, at least. Servais could not provide an exact timeline for the shortstop’s return.
Crawford injured his oblique during Wednesday’s pregame warmups in Texas, and was a late scratch from the lineup. Utilityman Dylan Moore assumed Crawford’s role for the remainder of Seattle’s series with the Rangers, and the Mariners promoted INF Leo Rivas for depth, a nine-year minor league veteran who debuted on Sunday and tripled in his first major league at-bat.
– Cal Raleigh’s toughness is unquestioned, especially after Tuesday’s series-opening win in Texas: Seattle’s backstop crushed a two-run homer with what was later revealed to be a fractured tooth.
Raleigh received emergency dental surgery to remove the tooth early Wednesday. He was sore, but returned and caught Thursday’s win over the Rangers, 4-3.
“He wanted to play tonight,” Servais said Wednesday, surprised at the request. “And I said, no, you’re not playing tonight.”
Even more remarkable? After his no-doubt, two-run blast, proceeded to catch a combined shutout that featured Gilbert’s gem.
“Our catcher is some kind of tough,” Servais said. “He means so much to us. He’ll be in there today grinding through it. … The guy behind the plate is really sucking it up today, and I know he’ll give us a great effort.”
– The Mariners have shut down RHP Matt Brash (right elbow inflammation), Mariners general manager Justin Hollander announced Saturday. Brash was set to appear for Triple-A Tacoma, part of a rehab stint, but felt discomfort throughout warmups Friday night at T-Mobile Park.
“Every throw felt bad,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said, recalling Brash’s own words. “We are concerned. He’s concerned.
“After each live BP... he’s been fine within the outing. And then he has felt tightness afterwards, or just heavy afterwards. ... It’s been slower to go away with each progressive outing.”
The hard-throwing reliever possessing one of baseball’s nastiest sliders will remain sidelined indefinitely. Brash will meet Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas to “revisit” and “examine possible options,” Hollander said.
– 3B Josh Rojas launched leadoff home runs against Arizona pitching on Friday and Sunday, becoming the first Mariners player with multiple leadoff homers in the same series since Rickey Henderson (May 20-21, 2000), per Mariners PR.
ON DECK
The Atlanta Braves visit T-Mobile Park for a three-game series, starting Monday. Seattle’s Bryce Miller throws Monday’s first pitch at 6:40 p.m.
This story was originally published April 28, 2024 at 4:31 PM with the headline "‘Elite’: Mariners can’t stop, won’t stop winning series behind unwavering rotation."
