The Mariners finally got some life from the bats yesterday, and it came with a debut worth remembering. Rookie outfielder Lazaro Montes helped power Seattle to a 9-6 win over the Red Sox, and the two teams are right back at it today with first pitch set for 1:10pm PT.
That win sits alongside a rough stretch for Seattle, though. The Mariners are coming off their worst month by run differential in nearly 50 years, and Ryan Blake dug into what that means for the club.
There’s also frustration bubbling in the fan base, with Zach Mason arguing it’s time for a change around here - specifically, that the Mariners must fire Humpy.
On the prospect front, Carlos Jiménez is putting together a breakout season for the Everett AquaSox, as Miguel Riera detailed.
Elsewhere in the league, the big headline out of Anaheim is that the Arte Moreno Era is apparently nearing its end. The longtime Angels owner is selling the franchise to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, with the deal carrying a record $4 billion valuation.
Mike Trout spoke plainly about what that could mean, saying this will hopefully “get that winning culture back.”
The Padres also made a notable move, calling up top catching prospect Ethan Salas, who is now the youngest active MLB player at just 20 years old.
And in Kansas City, Royals right-hander Carlos Estévez will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.
Around the rest of baseball, ESPN gathered anonymous player reactions on the salary cap and the looming lockout, while Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray confirmed that a recent viral clip of him performing as Troy Bolton from High School Musical was indeed him.
There’s also September promotion season in the minors, and Benjamin Hill highlighted the 10 best ones on the calendar. Meanwhile, Rays slugger Junior Caminero is not only having a big year, he’s also grounding into double plays at a record pace, and Daniel R. Epstein at Baseball Prospectus examined whether history is still within reach on that front.
Finally, Luke at Bucco Ball pointed out something bleak for Pittsburgh fans: the Pirates haven’t had Fangraphs playoff odds above 1% in September since 2016.
In Other News...
Mariners Farm System Just Took A Brutal Hit Before The Offseason
The Mariners farm system took another hit late in the season, with shortstop prospect Felnin Celesten likely done for the year after a minor groin injury, according to general manager Justin Hollander. Celesten had been placed on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Arkansas and is now expected to miss the rest of the season, a frustrating setback for one of the organizations more watched infield prospects as the minor league schedule winds down.
Outfielder Brennen Davis is also out for the remainder of the year after an oblique injury landed him on the 60-day injured list, leaving Seattle with one more development loss to absorb before the offseason. There was at least some good news in the system, though, as Brandon Eike and Jack Bowery picked up monthly awards for their August performances, a reminder that the pipeline still has some momentum even with the latest injuries. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners May Be Losing The AL West Rival They Loved Facing
The AL West may be about to get a lot more interesting, and not just because of what happens on the field. Arte Moreno is selling the Los Angeles Angels to billionaire Stan Kroenke, a sports owner whose portfolio already includes several championship-winning franchises, and that kind of change carries real implications for a division that has long been shaped by the Angels uneven results and missed chances.
For Seattle, the timing matters because the Mariners have spent years measuring themselves against a Los Angeles club that has too often looked like a vulnerable target. A new owner with Kroenkes track record could mean a different level of ambition, resources and organizational pressure in Anaheim, and that is the part worth watching now. The Mariners may be seeing one of their most familiar rivals turn into something harder to count on. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Suddenly Face A September Roster Squeeze They Cant Escape
The Mariners had already been juggling late-season roster decisions, and the latest round of moves only tightened the squeeze. Julio Rodrguez was placed on the family medical emergency list, which opened the door for Seattle to select Stuart Fairchild from Triple-A Tacoma and plug another hole in the outfield mix.
Cal Raleigh is still on the 7-day concussion injured list because symptoms have lingered, and Matt Brash was shut down from throwing after lat tightness led to an MRI. Between the outfield, the lineup and a bullpen that has already felt the strain, Seattle is running out of easy answers as September winds down. [Read more 🡒]