Leave it to the Houston Astros to ruin the good narrative, right?
That’s precisely what happened this weekend at T-Mobile Park this weekend as the Astros (11-5) unceremoniously swept the Mariners. Seattle (13-5) dropped three games, which put, at least temporarily, a halt to the impressive (and entirely unexpected) start the M’s blazed to before this series began.
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But if you think the sweep somehow indicates the shine is beginning to come off of Seattle’s meteoric start to the season, then you should probably look more closely. This wasn’t nearly as bad as it looks.
While losing three consecutive games is never a good look — it’s certainly more palpable in April than, say, August — it was evident from the first pitch Friday that the Mariners weren’t going to be outclassed. There were still positive signs and the continuation of enough trends to reinforce the notion that the Mariners’ record-breaking start, while unsustainable, wasn’t merely a fluke.
The Mariners lost the three games by a combined seven runs – and hitters need not apologize for going quiet these last two games after Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole proved, at times, unhittable. Verlander allowed one run over six innings with 11 strikeouts during a 3-1 win Saturday. Cole then followed with 11 of his own strikeouts Sunday while holding Seattle to two runs over six innings.
The upside for what had been a scorching Seattle offense? Verlander and Cole do this to a lot of teams.
“Those two — Cole and Verlander — are two of the best right-handed pitchers in the game,” said Mitch Haniger.
Get past the composite results, and there were a few reasons why the Mariners should just as hopeful for the rest of their season as they were coming into this series.
For starters, the early-season defensive miscues that plagued this team — they made 13 errors in their first seven games — appear to be getting better. The Mariners didn’t commit a single error during the three-game series.
First base coach Perry Hill, who works with the infielders, has been spending hours before first pitch working on defense with several members of the club.
“We’re playing really good defensively,” manager Scott Servais said. “It’s a credit to the work these guys are putting in. We’ve got to work at it. If you work at it … you have got a chance to get better.”
Despite misfiring against Verlander and Cole, who limited the Mariners to two runs Sunday, this offense figures to continue manufacturing and scoring runs at a high clip, even if it’s not the 7.5 runs per game the team averaged heading into this series.
Haniger homered for the second time in as many days, raising his average to .289. The home run extended the team’s Major League record of hitting at least one in 18 consecutive games. Domingo Santana drove in his 23rd run of the season Sunday, which tops all hitters in both leagues. He’s hitting .333. Daniel Vogelbach struck out three times on Sunday but is still hitting .378. Tim Beckham (.339) and Dee Gordon (.323) continue to produce, even if they didn’t have great series.
Seattle’s starting pitching kept the Mariners close, but the rotation took a hit Friday when Wade LeBlanc departed in the fifth inning with a right oblique strain. He will miss 4-to-6 weeks with the injury, which was classified as a Grade II strain. Félix Hernández allowed three runs on six hits Saturday, something you’d take every time out from the team’s fifth starter. Marco Gonzales allowed two runs in 5 ⅓ innings with two walks and three strikeouts in the series finale, failing in his bid to win a fifth consecutive start.
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The news of LeBlanc missing upwards of two months isn’t as catastrophic as it would for some clubs. The Mariners are in a far better position this season than last to absorb such a loss. Rookie Erik Swanson, one of the pieces in the deal that sent James Paxton to the Yankees, will likely slide into his rotation spot.
The bullpen, which allowed two grand slams on Friday, pitched well the rest of the series. Rookie Brandon Brennan allowed his first run of the season, but he’s been spectacular. Yet another newcomer, Connor Sadzeck, acquired this month from Texas, has allowed just one hit in six innings since joining the team. Closer Anthony Swarzak has not allowed a run since coming off the injured list on April 2.
Dig deep enough and you can find a few highlights from this weekend — they just didn’t add up to any victories. It’s April 15, and the Mariners have played just nine percent of their schedule. It was a lost weekend for sure, but that doesn’t mean the team is lost.
“I have no problem with the way we’re playing,” Servais said after Seattle’s loss in the series finale Sunday.
So what did we learn this weekend? The Mariners, despite the sweep, are still an intriguing team. And the Astros — now winners of nine consecutive games – are still really freaking good.
(Top photo of Marco Gonzales: Abbie Parr / Getty Images)