The Seattle Mariners, fresh off a dominating series sweep against the New York Mets, faced an unexpected downturn this week as they were swept by the Detroit Tigers during a three-game series in Detroit, marking a rocky start to their three-city road trip.
The series opened disastrously for the Mariners with a 15-1 loss on Tuesday. The struggles continued when they failed to maintain a two-run lead on Wednesday, eventually falling 3-2 in extra innings. Thursday’s game culminated in another setback when the Tigers clinched a 2-1 win, courtesy of a two-run homer in the eighth inning, signaling yet another blown save by the Mariners’ bullpen.
Despite strong performances from starting pitchers Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller, who each held the Tigers scoreless over seven innings in the latter two games, Seattle’s offense was notably lacking throughout the series. Their struggle at the plate was highlighted in Thursday’s finale, where they recorded just one hit.
In a post-game analysis, Seattle Sports’ Bob Stelton dissected the Mariners’ challenges in his latest Mariners breakdown video. Key discussion points included the team’s recurring issues in games, their fluctuating performance against teams with losing records despite strong showings against contenders like the Mets and Phillies, and decisions around player injuries, notably whether star outfielder Julio RodrÃguez should continue playing through a high-ankle sprain.
Stelton further questioned whether the Mariners should be concerned about their standings, especially with the AL West-leading Houston Astros on an eight-game winning streak.
For more insights and expert breakdowns, tune into Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on weekdays at 2 p.m.