BOSTON - The Mariners’ 8-3 win over the Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon looked like a straightforward offensive day on the surface: 12 hits, no home runs, and control from start to finish.
But the bigger story was the way Dan Wilson handled the pitching.
Seattle left Fenway Park with two wins in three games against a Red Sox club that looks bound for October, and maybe more. That came after the Mariners had taken a crushing loss in the series opener on Monday, the kind of defeat that can linger. Instead, they answered by leaning on a more aggressive bullpen plan, and Wilson kept pushing that button even with a comfortable lead.
Bryce Miller’s return to the rotation after a 10-day break lasted just 4 2/3 innings and 65 pitches, yet he allowed only one earned run against the 21 batters he saw. More importantly, Wilson didn’t hesitate to pull him with Seattle ahead 4-1.
The move came after Miller got Ceddanne Rafaela to hit into a forceout that fell just short of an inning-ending double play. With Miller about to face the Boston order for the third time and lefty hitter Wilyer Abreu coming up, Wilson turned to José A. Ferrer.
That wasn’t a full-blown emergency - Rafaela was on first with two outs - but it was still a clear signal that Wilson is managing differently now that the calendar has turned to September. Ferrer allowed a double to Abreu that put both runners in scoring position before working out of the inning. Then, an inning later, Seattle scored its second four-run frame of the day and let Wilson empty out the lower-leverage part of the bullpen the rest of the way.
The Miller decision also came less than 24 hours after Wilson went to Andrés Muñoz with one out in the ninth to finish off a 9-6 win, right after September callup Hoby Milner gave up a towering two-run homer to Jahmai Jones.
At 66-74, the Mariners’ playoff hopes are fading, and Wilson is managing like it.
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Mariners Take A Chance On A Former Top Prospect With Upside
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For Seattle, the move fits the sort of low-cost gamble contenders often make when they believe there is still something to unlock. Woods Richardson gives the organization another arm to evaluate in Tacoma, where the Mariners can keep a close eye on a pitcher who made his big-league debut in 2022 and is still young enough to factor if the stuff and command come together again. [Read more 🡒]
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Joe now has a decision to make, since he has the right to elect free agency, and the Mariners have not indicated whether he plans to stay in the organization or test the market. Kinghams path is more straightforward because his service time means he has to accept the assignment, but Joes situation is the one that lingers for Seattle, where every roster spot matters and every fringe move can hint at what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners May Have Found A Better Use For Their Latest Pitching Add
The Mariners added another arm to their system by signing right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson to a minor-league deal and sending him to Triple-A Tacoma. Most of his big-league work has come as a starter, but he has also handled multiple roles this season, which makes him an interesting fit for a Seattle pitching staff that suddenly needs more flexibility.
With rotation depth thinned by an injury, the appeal here is less about where Woods Richardson has traditionally worked and more about where he might help most. Seattle can use pitching in just about any form right now, and his ability to cover innings gives the club another option if it wants to patch a game together out of the bullpen or lean on a bulk reliever while the roster sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]