2018 Seattle Mariners Report Card Just Past the Half Way Mark

The Seattle Mariners are past the halfway mark of the 2018 with a record of 54-31. They are a half-game behind the Houston Astros who were swept by  Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend like the Mariners did to the Kansas City Royals.

So now I am doing my report card for the halfway mark though they have played eighty-five games. The Mariners being twenty-three games above five hundred which I expect is a surprise to everyone I have to give the team a grade of A at this point. I now will give a breakdown of each position along with the pitching.

I start off with the starting pitching. I do have to give them a grade of an A for no other reason is that four of the five starters have eight victories on the season. That could leave the Mariners with the four having ten wins at the all-star break. If one of the four is on the all-star team it would be James Paxton. On Sunday when Paxton shutout the Kansas City Royals pitching eight innings now  has a record of 8-2 with an era of 3.39. Mike Leake will have to follow up with being the number two pitcher so far on the season with a record of 8-4 with an era of 4.01. He did struggle for a short period however has been outstanding as of late. Marco Gonzales who has to be the third rated pitcher on the staff has to be biggest surprise as well. In his last outing he went the distance and gave up only one run which happened in the ninth inning. Wade LeBlanc who started the season in the bullpen has to be the second surprise now having started eleven games has a record of 3-0 with an era of 3.38. He could continue to be a key in the rotation in the second half of the season. The most disappointing has to be Felix Hernandez who used to be the ace of the team. His injuries the last couple years have moved him down to be either the fourth or fifth starter. He does have eight wins to go along with six losses isn’t bad for someone with an era of 5.11. His biggest issue has been pitching in the first inning. For example in his last outing on Saturday the Royals scored three runs in the first inning fortunately the Mariners also scored three runs in the first inning. It has been his biggest trouble all season long.

The Mariners are looking to extend the rotation to six starters in the second half to keep the starters in good shape. James Paxton who currently has pitched one hundred, eleven and two-thirds innings likely will continue pitching every five days depending on who the team is facing along with how successful they continue to win. Mike Leake will probably do the same though he is second in innings pitched to Paxton. As of late he has been pitching effortlessly. Gonzales, LeBlanc and Felix are the three that will be affected with adding another pitcher in the rotation. The pitcher could be Roenis Elias who the Mariners reacquired from the Boston Red Sox in late April and was recalled on June 1 or the other possibility would be someone the Mariners acquire before the trading deadline.

Now a look at the bullpen for the Mariners; this will be harder to judge because of who has pitched in the bullpen. Overall I have to give the bullpen a B. I have to begin with closer Edwin Diaz after Sunday’s game has thirty-two saves in thirty-five opportunities with an era of 2.45. In forty-four innings he has seventy-one strike outs compared to thirteen walks. Also he has only given up twelve hits with two of them being home runs. I have to say you can’t be more spectacular than that and should be on the All-Star team. I would have to give him a grade of A plus.

James Pazos has to be the second best pitcher in the bullpen having a record of 2-1 with an era of 1.84 in thirty-four games. He has walked only four batters and struck out twenty-seven. I give him a grade of A. He took over the number one lefty specialist in the bullpen when the Mariners released Marc Rzepczynski on June 6. He had an era of 9.39 in eighteen games walking nine batters. He gave up thirteen hits as well over seven and two-thirds innings. His role was to get the tough left handed hitter of the opposing team which he wasn’t doing well. I give him a grade of D minus and I am sure that general manager is looking for another lefty to go with Pazos. Elias can be used in that role to if necessary though the Mariners are using him as a long reliever primarily at this point.

The next pitcher I put in line because he probably is the biggest surprise in the bullpen is Chase Bradford. His role starting out was being the first reliever coming out of the bullpen but has pitched in some important times since. He has a record of 5-0 with an era of 2.81 pitching in twenty-eight games and going thirty-two innings. He has only given up seven walks and has struck out twenty-six batters. I give him a grade of A minus since he didn’t start the season with the Mariners. He was recalled from Tacoma on April 9.

Nick Vincent, Juan Nicasio and Alex Colome the Mariners acquired from Tampa Bay along with Denard Span have been a disappoint though they have had their moments as well. As a unit I would give them a grade of C plus. They pitch up to what they are capable of in the second half of the season they can land the Mariners in the playoffs. It is possible the Mariners could go after another reliever that will work with that trio. The other pitchers that have worked out of the Mariner bullpen I would give them a grade of C.

Next report I will look at the position players. Go M’s.