Mariners rained out Thursday in Chicago, but even that doesn’t dampen best start in club history
Baseball fans will have to wait until Friday to see if the Seattle Mariners can extend their four-game winning streak.
Because of heavy rain in the forecast, Thursday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox has been preemptively postponed until Friday, which was a scheduled off day. First pitch is set for 11:10 a.m.
So that gives the Mariners back-to-back days off to savor the best start in club history at 7-1.
During their opening eight-game stretch, the Mariners swept the Oakland A’s in Japan, took three of four from the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox, and capped a six-game homestand with a pair of wins over the Los Angeles Angels.
While this has been widely publicized as a “step back” season for the Mariners, the players in the clubhouse have made it clear so far they disagree it will be.
“I think everybody in this clubhouse plays with a chip on their shoulder,” first baseman Dan Vogelbach said. “And, as you can tell, we have fun, we play with an attitude, and you look forward to coming to the ballpark every day.”
Seattle can’t seem to stop hitting home runs right now, either.
Vogelbach, who was a late addition at designated hitter Tuesday night, kept the Mariners’ power-packed offense going in the homestand finale. He crushed his first home run of the season in the eighth, and Seattle went on to close out a 2-1 win over the Angels.
With the win, the Mariners passed the mark for best start in club history — the previous best was 6-2 (2009, 2001, 1995, 1985 and 1984).
“He smoked that ball to left-center field,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “You don’t see balls go out of the ballpark on that trajectory here, and he killed it. We needed it. And timing’s everything.”
Vogelbach is the ninth player in the clubhouse to record a home run this season, joining Tim Beckham (three), Jay Bruce (three), Domingo Santana (three), Ryon Healy (two), Omar Narvaez (two), Edwin Encarnacion (one), Mitch Haniger (one) and Mallex Smith (one).
The homer was Seattle’s 17th of the season, which is the second-most in club history through eight games, just behind the 1998 Mariners (20). Seattle’s streak of hitting at least one long ball in each of the first games ties the club record set by the 1998 team.
“It’s going to be a fun summer,” Servais said. “There are going to be some ups and there are going to be some downs, but we have a group of guys that really enjoy playing together, and that’s what stands out right now.”
KIKUCHI SET FOR START
Despite the postponement, rookie left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (0-0, 2.53 ERA) is still on track to make his third start of the season Friday in Chicago.
Kikuchi, who made a statement through the club last week about the passing of his father Yuji Kikuchi, will stay with the team and remain in the normal rotation. He is scheduled to face White Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (0-1, 9.00).
Through two starts, Kikuchi has allowed three earned runs on eight hits in 10 2/3 innings pitched. He’s struck out eight batters, while walking just one. Opponents are batting .200 against him.
ROSTER MOVES
The Mariners continued to shuffle the deck Wednesday, adding right-handed reliever Connor Sadzeck — who they acquired Monday in a trade with the Texas Rangers — to the 25-man roster.
Sadzeck made his MLB debut with the Rangers in September, and posted a 0.96 ERA in 9 1/3 innings pitched in 13 games. He struck out seven while walking 11.
Nick Rumbelow, another right-handed reliever, was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to make room for Sadzeck.
Seattle has made 13 transactions since their home opener against Boston a week ago, including making trades for Sazeck and catcher Tom Murphy, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants last Friday.