The Mariners left Coors Field with a win Sunday, but the finish came with a worrying twist.
Seattle beat the Colorado Rockies 2-1 to wrap up its final road trip of the season and move to 73-83 with six games remaining, getting a standout outing from Kade Anderson and two RBIs from Dominic Canzone. For a team that has long since slipped into spoiler mode, it was a clean way to close the trip - until the ninth inning changed the mood.
After giving up a solo home run and a walk in the bottom of the ninth, closer Andres Munoz exited with manager Dan Wilson and the medical staff. According to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, the issue was attributed to Munoz’s left knee. Munoz had previously left a game in Washington in June because of back problems, but this situation was tied to a different part of his body.
Munoz is set to undergo imaging on Monday, and the club will get a better picture then. He said he’s dealt with this issue before, though it’s not something that has come up often.
The timing matters because Seattle is still technically alive in the playoff race. The Mariners trail the Texas Rangers by five games in the American League West with six games left, so they’re not officially out yet. That means there’s still reason to think Munoz would be needed for the two-game series against the Houston Astros that starts Tuesday.
At the same time, the Mariners have to be honest about the bigger picture. If there’s any real concern about Munoz, it may make more sense to shut him down and give him an early start to the offseason.
He’s carried a heavy load in recent years, appearing in 60 games or more in four of the last five seasons. He also pitched deep into the postseason in 2025 and appeared in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
If Munoz can’t go, the ninth inning would likely be handled based on where Seattle stands in the standings. Eduard Bazardo, who earned the save Sunday after Munoz left, is one option. Jose Ferrer is another, with three saves this season and 11 saves for the Washington Nationals last year before being traded to Seattle.
The Mariners are off Monday before opening the Astros series at T-Mobile Park. After that, they finish the season against the Los Angeles Angels from Thursday through Sunday.
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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 🡒]