Mariners notes: Seattle opens first homestand with series win over Astros
Friday night was the first time Mariners outfielder Jesse Winker played in a baseball game at T-Mobile Park.
His first impressions?
“That was a tremendous atmosphere,” Winker, now in his sixth season in the majors, said postgame, after the Mariners routed the visiting Astros in their home opener. “It’s a special place.”
After returning home from their season-opening road trip to Minnesota and Chicago with a 3-4 record, the Mariners (5-5) evened their record with their first series win of the season over the visiting Astros over the weekend.
They played their first game in Seattle this season in front of a sold-out crowd on a chilly Friday night, and delivered a double-digit 11-1 win to extend their streak of home-opening victories to six consecutive seasons.
Then, after being shut down by Houston ace Justin Verlander in a 4-0 loss Saturday night, they responded with another convincing 7-2 victory Sunday afternoon.
Seattle has now won three of its past four games entering the first scheduled off day of the season.
“Win the series — first series we’ve won this year — so need to keep that train rolling,” Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters postgame Sunday.
So who stood out during the first three games of this nine-game opening homestand? Returners, newcomers and rookies each made meaningful contributions as the club solved its first series against the defending American League West champions this season.
Mariners second baseman Adam Frazier — acquired in November in a trade with the Padres — opened the homestand by sending the first pitch thrown in Seattle this season into right field.
He tallied both Seattle’s first hit and first run scored in the ballpark this spring, kicking off a series during which he hit 7-for-13 with three runs scored, a double, triple, and five RBI.
Frazier, also playing for the first time in his career at T-Mobile Park, also noted the crowd impact following that first game.
“They brought the electricity tonight, and it was a lot of fun to play in front of,” Frazier said.
Two more new additions in Winker and third baseman Eugenio Suarez — who arrived in a trade with the Reds last month — also made a big impact in their introductions to Seattle.
Winker had a pair of hits and a pair of walks — he leads the AL with 10 early on — in the game and drove in a run, while Suarez drove in three, and crushed a two-run homer in the eighth to push the lead to double digits.
The Mariners’ three trade acquisitions in the lineup that night combined to finish 7-for-12 with eight RBI.
How about the returners who paced the Mariners to a 90-win season last summer? Many seem to be picking up where they left off.
Marco Gonzales, now in his sixth season with the club, regrouped from his first outing in Minnesota by tossing seven innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out six in the home opener.
“We’re really excited to play here,” Gonzales said postgame. “We can have one of the best environments in the league, I think, and we saw a little bit of that tonight.”
Returning starter Chris Flexen completed six quality innings in Saturday’s loss, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three and walking one.
Seattle’s bullpen ran out nine relievers during the three-game series, allowing one earned run across 8 2/3 innings while striking out 11.
Shortstop J.P. Crawford has reached base safely in each of the 10 games the Mariners have played this season, and leads the club in both batting average (.355) and on-base percentage (.500) with 11 hits, three doubles and six walks.
First baseman Ty France had two multi-hit games during the series, and finished 5-for-12 with two runs scored, a home run, walk and five RBI. His team-leading nine RBI through 10 games this season currently rank tied for third in the AL.
Seattle’s young prospects also provided some impressive highlights during their first career appearances in Seattle.
Mariners top prospect Julio Rodriguez singled in his first career at-bat in Seattle’s ballpark Friday night, later walked and scored his first run.
“It was amazing,” Rodriguez said postgame Friday. “I really loved the atmosphere. All of the people there. It was even better than what I imagined, honestly.”
Rodriguez provided a defensive gem during Saturday’s loss, covering much of the grass between center and left on a long fly ball from Houston’s Michael Brantley, and made an impressive diving catch.
He picked up his first career RBI during Sunday’s win on a single to center in the fourth.
Right-hander Matt Brash — Seattle’s No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline — wrapped up the weekend by collecting his first career win.
After making his big league debut in Chicago last week — he tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out six and walking one — Brash made his first career start at T-Mobile Park on Sunday afternoon.
Brash didn’t give up a hit until his final frame, completing 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on two hits while striking out five and walking six.
“I was just super excited today,” he told reporters postgame. “That crowd was incredible and gave me such a warm welcome in the home opener, and I knew today was going to be special, and I just enjoyed the moment.”
ROSTER MOVES
▪ Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger was placed on the injured list ahead of Saturday night’s game.
He had some symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19, Servais told reporters pregame, and will miss some time in the days ahead.
“I think five days is the minimum you have to be out, so we’ll continue to test him and hopefully get him back as soon as we can,” Servais said.
Through eight games this season, Haniger is hitting .177/.200/.471 with three runs scored, a double, three home runs, seven RBI and one walk to nine strikeouts.
The Mariners recalled infielder Donovan Walton from Triple-A Tacoma to fill the open spot on the active roster.
▪ Reliever Sergio Romo (right shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 10-day IL on Wednesday (retroactive to Tuesday), while reliever Casey Sadler (who will miss the season following shoulder surgery) was transferred to the 60-day IL.
The Mariners added right-hander Matt Koch — who tossed an immaculate inning in Tacoma’s season-opener earlier this month — to their bullpen in a corresponding move.
▪ Seattle acquired right-hander Riley O’Brien from Cincinnati on Sunday for a player to be named later or cash considerations and added him to the 40-man roster.
O’Brien, 27, is a Shorewood High School, Everett Community College and College of Idaho product.
He was drafted by Tampa Bay in the eighth round in 2017, and has played in both the Rays and Reds minor league systems. He made his big league debut with Cincinnati last September.
ON DECK
The Mariners have a scheduled off day Monday, then host the Rangers and Royals for three games each to round out their opening homestand.
Robbie Ray, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner signed to a five-year, $115 million deal with Seattle in November, is scheduled to make his first home start on Tuesday night.
