Mariners takeaways: Kikuchi strikes out 10, but Seattle drops first loss to Giants
There was no repeat rally for the Mariners on Friday night at T-Mobile Park.
Thursday in their season opener, Seattle’s offense combined for six runs to take a late lead in the eighth before ultimately walking off on a walk in the 10th as the first crowd in the ballpark in 550 days erupted.
But, the Mariners couldn’t duplicate that effort in the second game of their three-game series against the Giants.
The offense stalled after grabbing an early lead — catcher Luis Torrens drove in a run on a double in the second, and first baseman Evan White drove in two more on a single in the third — and reliever Drew Steckenrider gave up three runs in the seventh as the Giants broke a tie and handed the Mariners (1-1) a 6-3 loss.
Here are three takeaways from the game:
1. Yusei Kikuchi tied his career high with 10 strikeouts in his season debut
It didn’t take long for starter Yusei Kikuchi, who is now in his third season with Seattle, to settle into his first start of the season.
He needed five pitches to sit back down the first batter he faced, catching Giants outfielder Austin Slater looking at a 97 mph fastball for his first of 10 strikeouts.
“He was getting after it,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “I talked about before the game started how important it was for him to come out firing, and you saw it from the first pitch. ... He was ready to go.
“That’s kind of the effort level and the focus we’d like to see out of him going forward.”
Kikuchi filled up the strike zone throughout his six innings, throwing first-pitch strikes to 19 of 25 batters, and struck out four of the first five batters he faced.
Kikuchi said through interpreter Kevin Ando he’s spoken with Mariners coaches throughout the spring about being aggressive and attacking the strike zone.
“I think that’s something I was able to do today,” he said.
The Giants managed three hits against the left-hander in his first five frames — including Buster Posey’s second homer of the series in the third — before tacking on two more runs in Kikuchi’s final inning in the sixth, when Evan Longoria crushed a fastball to right center for his second homer in as many nights to make it 3-3.
Kikuchi completed the inning, but didn’t get a decision, allowing the three runs on six hits, including the two home runs, one walk and the 10 strikeouts. He threw 89 pitches. His fastball hovered around 95 mph, and topped out at 97.4. His cutter, which he favored most, reached as high as at 92.5, and he mixed in his slider often.
Half of Kikuchi’s strikeouts came on his slider, four on his fastball, and his final strikeout of the night on his final batter was a swinging changeup to Posey.
“I’m really, really excited about what Yusei Kikuchi fired out there tonight,” Servais said. “That’s the type of stuff and the focus and just the attack mentality we’ve been talking about. ... It was 80% first-pitch strikes tonight. He ends up with 10 strikeouts. He only had a couple three-ball counts all night.
“That’s as dominant an outing as we’ve seen him have. Again, he gave up two home runs, but really happy and looking forward to seeing many more outings like that this year. Big confidence booster for him getting off to a good start, quality start there his first time out.”
Kikuchi’s 10 strikeouts tied his career high. He first fanned 10 batters in his rookie season in 2019, when he tossed seven complete innings on 93 pitches in Cleveland. Kikuchi didn’t get a decision in that game either, with the Mariners eventually dropping a 2-1 loss.
2. Jake Fraley continued to find ways to get on base
Jake Fraley wasn’t projected to make Seattle’s Opening Day roster until center fielder Kyle Lewis — the reigning American League Rookie of the Year — opened the season on the 10-day injured list with a bone bruise in his right knee.
But Fraley, who has started in left field each of the Mariners’ first two games, has certainly earned his playing time on.
After finishing with three walks in Thursday’s opener — and driving in the winning run on a walk-off walk in the 10th inning — Fraley continued to find ways to get on base Friday night.
He tallied the Mariners’ first hit of the game with a two-out double in the second inning, and drew a leadoff walk in the fourth before striking out in the sixth and grounding out in the ninth.
Fraley leads the Mariners in on-base percentage (.667) through their first two games.
3. Taylor Trammell made another impressive defensive play in center field
Rookie Taylor Trammell, who has started in center the past two games in place of Lewis, continues to showcase his talent in the outfield.
Trammell made perhaps the defensive play of the game when he completed a diving catch in the sixth that robbed Darin Ruf of a hit.
Trammell tracked down the line drive, and held on as he toppled over. Kikuchi put his glove in the air as he looked into center field to acknowledge the grab.
It was Trammell’s second notable play in as many nights filling in for Lewis. The rookie threw out Longoria trying to stretch a single into a double in Thursday’s opener.
