The Mariners are rolling out a new look Saturday at Coors Field, and it starts with a first: Michael Arroyo and Lazaro Montes are in the starting lineup together for Seattle for the first time since both reached the majors.
Arroyo will hit seventh and play second base, while Montes is slotted eighth as the designated hitter as the Mariners face the Colorado Rockies.
Both rookies have made quick impressions in their early big league work. Arroyo has gone 5 for 15 over his first seven games, putting together a .333/.450/.667 line with one homer and two doubles.
Montes has been just as eye-catching in his own way, going 8 for 32 in 14 games with a .250/.314/.656 slash line, four homers and one double. He also delivered the big swing Friday night, launching a go-ahead solo homer in the ninth inning of Seattle’s 5-4 win over Colorado.
Seattle’s full lineup against Rockies left-hander Jose Quintana looks like this: J.P. Crawford leading off at shortstop, Randy Arozarena in left, Dominic Canzone in right, Cal Raleigh catching, Julio Rodríguez in center, Josh Naylor at first, Arroyo at second, Montes at designated hitter and Weston Wilson at third.
Bryce Miller gets the start on the mound for Seattle and is looking for his first win since July 2.
The Mariners entered Saturday at 72-82, sitting five games behind both the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers in the American League West with eight games remaining. The game is set for 5:10 p.m.
In Other News...
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J.P. Crawford has spent this season in the middle of a Mariners infield that already feels like it is shifting under his feet. He is in the final season of his four-year deal and heading toward free agency, while the organization has not shown any public push to lock him up long term. Meanwhile, younger names are starting to press into the picture, with Colt Emerson among the infield prospects adding another layer to the conversation about what Seattle wants this group to look like going forward.
Crawford has still been asked to handle important work this year, moving between shortstop and third base while dealing with injuries. The problem for Seattle is that the fit is not as clean as it used to be, with his defensive numbers at shortstop sitting below average. For a club trying to balance present value against a possible next wave of infield talent, that leaves Crawford in an awkward spot and the Mariners with a decision they have not yet had to make publicly. [Read more 🡒]
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Eduard Bazardo handled the save situation in Muozs place and picked up the first save of his career, a useful moment for a bullpen that suddenly has to brace for a bigger question. Muoz has already had an uneven season, so the Mariners were already managing his role carefully, but any issue with the closer now carries extra weight with so little margin left for error. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Uniform Debate Just Got A Lot Harder To Ignore
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Seattles uniform closet is hardly bare. The Mariners already cycle through five sets, including their home whites, navy alternates, teal alternates, Steelheads alternates and a City Connect look, a mix that became even more streamlined when the Sunday cream uniforms were removed last offseason. Even so, with another team about to add gray back into the rotation, the Mariners outlier status is becoming harder to miss. [Read more 🡒]
