Waste Another Year

 

So, to recap: in 2024, the Mariners had the best rotation in baseball and couldn't compete because nobody on the team could hit. It is a year later, and they've improved their lineup, including a guy who could set the mark for home runs by a catcher, and they're 6 games back from 1st because their rotation's a liability now. If we could have just...got both of those factors lined up, then maybe I wouldn't have to watch the Astros keep winning this damned division.

The Mariners' rotation was untouchable last year, so it's only fitting that a lot of their members are fatigued this season. Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller are both hurt, George Kirby missed time and has an ERA around 6, and Luis Castillo, while decent enough, has had a few too many 'human' starts. And then you have people like Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans filling in and while they're filling innings, they're just not as good. People can hit them. Bryan Woo's the only one who's really soaring right now, and funnily enough he was the only one of the four who missed substantial time last year. Almost like having the best year of your career and then doing it again the next season is unsustainable now that everyone throws really hard.

There is a chance that people come back and make a slightly-more-cobbled together version of that rotation for down the stretch, but the mystique is gone. A number of these guys are just beatable now, and a lot of teams know it. So there are more puncture points, and more ways to win. Which means the Mariners need to work on continuing to outhit people, and even with Cal Raleigh leading the league in homers, it's gonna take the whole team. 

Julio Rodriguez is having his best season in a couple years, and seems like himself after a much more tepid 2024. He's got a 3.3 WAR, 34 RBIs, 10 homers and 11 steals. Even with Raleigh sitting the league on fire, Julio leads the team in war, and seems to be the leadership figure he was always supposed to be. And keep in mind, this team also has Randy Arozarena on it, he's notoriously a helpful central figure for teams. Julio has become 'the guy' for the Mariners, and yet this team can still benefit from the work of people like Raleigh, Arozarena, Jorge Polanco and J.P. Crawford. So far, aside from last season, he's been everything the scouts had promised, and he's still only 24.

Of course, the issue is even with this offensive rebound, they still can't catch the Astros, who are out pitching them and outhitting them at the moment. You hope that the tide can turn, and the Astros can get their just desserts, but do the Mariners have a season like this in them, even with these obvious flaws? I guess we'll find out.

Coming Tonight: He could have mailed it in after last October but the way he's hitting he's still got a ton left to prove, even 15 years into his career.