The Mariners and Dodgers just closed a 4-game set. Who won the battle of the Seagers?
This week’s home-and-home series between the Mariners and Dodgers marked the first time brothers Kyle and Corey Seager appeared on the same field in their Major League baseball careers.
They traded jokes during their pre-series news conference in Los Angeles on Monday.
They traded smirks rounding the bases after each hitting a home run in the first game of a four-game set split between LA and Seattle.
When the series wrapped up Thursday night, Kyle, the eldest of three Seager brothers, recapped how meaningful the experience was.
“I legit had a lot of fun,” he said during a postgame video call. “That was something that was really special for me.
“Being the older brother, getting to work out and do stuff with him in the winter, that’s great, and I really do enjoy that time, but to actually get out there and compete against him was something that was really special to me.”
So who won this inaugural battle of the Seagers? It depends on how you look at it. Kyle says, because the Dodgers won three of the four games against the Mariners, that swings in Corey’s favor.
“I don’t think he’s going to let that one go,” Kyle said.
But, looking at individual performance, Kyle might have the edge. Seattle’s veteran third baseman appeared in all four games, while Corey, the Dodgers’ starting shortstop, played in the first three before having Thursday off. It’s not an entirely equal comparison in that respect, but still fun to take a look at.
In game one, both of the brothers homered — Corey hit a three-run blast in the second, but Kyle responded with a solo shot the following inning — marking the first time brothers on opposing teams have homered in the same game since 2001, when San Diego’s Cesar Crespo and San Francisco’s Felipe Crespo both left the yard. The Seagers are the eighth set of brothers to accomplish such a feat in history.
Kyle added two more singles, a walk and had two RBI in the opener on a 3-for-4 night.
Corey was 2-for-4, adding a single and a walk to his three RBI.
The next two games weren’t as electric, but Kyle added a double in the second game, and Corey had two hits, including a double and RBI. Neither recorded a hit in the third game, though Kyle walked three times.
Corey sat out Thursday while Kyle’s homer deep into the seats in right field at T-Mobile Park was the Mariners’ only run against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers.
Here are the final lines for each Seager:
In four games, Kyle was 5-for-13 with a double, two homers, three RBI, four walks, two strikeouts and a stolen base. He slashed at .385/.529/.923 over that stretch.
In three games, Corey was 4-for-13 with a double, homer, four RBI, walk and two strikeouts. He slashed at .308/.357/.615. His team also won three games.
Who won the battle? You decide. For the Seagers, who play on the same coast but rarely see each other playing in different leagues, this first-time meeting in the majors was a win in itself.
“As much as you think it would happen, it really doesn’t, so that’s part of the reason that made these last four days pretty special,” Kyle said. “Even when he wasn’t playing, it was fun to just look over there and see my brother. So, it was pretty cool.”
‘QUIET ASSASSIN’ MAKES HIS DEBUT
Ljay Newsome, who has been in Seattle’s minor league system since he was drafted in the 26th round out of high school in 2015, made his big league debut for the Mariners in Thursday’s finale against the Dodgers.
“It was awesome getting out there,” Newsome said on a video call Friday. “There was a little bit of nerves out there, but I kind of went out and did my thing, and it was fun.”
Newsome, a 23-year-old right-hander, has been nicknamed the “quiet assassin” because of his even-keel, no-nonsense nature when on the mound. When Newsome was initially promoted last week, manager Scott Servais recapped how that phone call went.
Servais: “Ljay, I’ve got some news for you.”
Newsome: “Yes, what is that?”
Servais: “Are you ready to be a major league player tonight?”
At that point, Servais said he heard silence on the other line, before Newsome offered his answer.
Newsome: “Yes.”
Newsome chuckled Friday as he gave a similar account of the call.
“I didn’t have his number,” Newsome said. “So, I answered it and I was like, ‘Hello?’ And he told me the news and I was like, ‘Sweet. I’m ready,’ and he asked me if I was excited, and I said yes.”
He immediately called his parents who shared in his excitement, but he didn’t appear in a game for six days. When he finally did, it was worth the wait.
Newsome faced 12 batters — including two recent MVPs in Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts — in his three complete innings in relief, and retired the first six he faced, including logging his first career strikeout against Austin Barnes.
He allowed one run — a Bellinger solo homer — on three hits with no walks and the one strikeout.
“When I walked out there, it’s just another game to go out there and do what I do,” he said. “The anticipation out there was kind of different because I’ve been a starter in the past, and being in the bullpen was different, but I kind of learned from the guys and just went about my business, and got stretched out when I needed to and kind of stayed ready to go.”
Newsome was the seventh Mariner to make his MLB debut this season, joining everyday first baseman Evan White, utility player Jose Marmolejos, catcher Joe Odom, and fellow relievers Anthony Misiewicz, Yohan Ramirez and Joey Gerber.
ROSTER MOVES
The Mariners have placed two more relievers on the injured list in the past two days, and now have seven relievers trying to work their way back.
Right-hander Erik Swanson (right forearm strain) and left-hander Taylor Guilbeau (left shoulder strain) are the latest to land on the 10-day IL.
Swanson’s placement Thursday is retroactive to Aug. 17, and Servais said Friday he believes Swanson could be back when eligible. Results weren’t available from Guilbeau’s evaluation as of his placement Friday afternoon.
To bolster their ailing bullpen, the Mariners activated veteran reliever Yoshihisa Hirano, who had been working out at the club’s alternate site in Tacoma, from the IL on Friday.
Servais said the Mariners were hoping to get Hirano more time in Tacoma to ramp back up after missing most of summer camp, but “he’s ready to go.” Hirano’s first appearance will be his Mariners debut.
Left-hander Aaron Fletcher was also selected from Tacoma and will make his big league debut with his first appearance.
This story was originally published August 21, 2020 at 3:28 PM.
