It doesn’t look good now especially with the Mariners losing
five games in a row. They have ten games left in the season including the final
game in the series against the Rangers before hosting the Cleveland Indians.
It is not a great time for the Mariners to go into a slide
when the wild card has been right for them to take. The other teams in the
picture haven’t done well either.
We should feel good that the Mariners have done this well
because of the injuries to the starting pitching especially. The Mariners took
the lead against the Rangers on Wednesday with Mitch Haniger who has been the
drive behind the offense as of late hitting a home run in the third inning. The
bad part though he made an error in the top of the fourth inning to bring in
the flood gates. In the fourth inning the Rangers scored seven runs to take a
7-1. Six runs were charged to Felix
Hernandez with one being considered an unearned run. After Haniger’s error Kyle
Seager made another error and then because Felix was throwing a lot of pitches
and he was on a pitch count he was replaced by Andrew Albers who gave up a
grand slam homer. Only the homer was charged against Albers. Though he was
expected to pitch longer Albers was only able to go one and two-third innings.
Casey Lawrence went two innings, Shae Simmons an inning and so did Edwin Diaz.
None of them gave up a run.
Nelson Cruz hit the second homer of the night for the
Mariners in the fourth inning to make it his 34th of the season and
the score 7-2. The Rangers made it 8-2 in the sixth inning put the strain on
the Mariners.
Robinson Cano had a couple hits driving in a couple runs as
well. The Mariners made it 8-3 in the sixth inning and then scored two more in
the seventh inning to extend to 8-5. Mike Zunino and Ben Gamel hit a couple
doubles scoring as well. Mariners scored again in the eighth inning but could
not in the ninth so the final score was 8-2.
The Mariners will not need to pitch well in the final ten
games they need to score as many runs as possible. They need to go on a run
like they haven’t all season long to have any chance to make the playoffs and the
reason that making it in as wild card at this point will be hard to do.
Remaining ten games will be Jerry Dipoto’s primary job to see
who will make the team next season and what he will have to pick up. We all
know that he will have to go after at least one starter for next season whether
it is in a trade or free agency. It will be for someone who they will have for
several seasons going forward. We know that Mike Leake will be at or near the
top of the rotation and we hope with James Paxton and Felix Hernandez. Both of
them thou Dipoto will have to think hard because of their injuries. Paxton has
had history of injuries since he has been with the team and Felix has over the
last couple years. The main reason he will have to look to bring in another top
notch starter since they can’t depend on either one. He will have to decide
whether Erasmo Ramirez and Ariel Miranda will be better served at the end of
the rotation or in the bullpen. Also whether Andrew Moore can be the 5th
starter or someone else; this will go for Marco Gonzales too.
The position players there will likely not be much change
there. Dipoto may tweak some there though. I would look at him bringing in a
left handed hitting catcher if one is available. The infield is set other than
first base however he could do something more though. The outfield looks good
with Ben Gamel, Guillermo Heredia and Mitch Haniger. They could bring in another
outfielder though. Also he re-signs Jarrod Dyson who will be a free agent if it
is not too costly.
I would like them to bring back Alonso and Valencia for next
season however pitching will be more of a priority. Both I am sure would like
to play regularly though instead of platooning. Valencia though could move to
third base if Dipoto decides to trade Seager for pitching.
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