By Charles Hamaker 

Seattle, WA – To open a four game homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays that could have playoff implications, the Seattle Mariners had plenty of fireworks. Seattle had eight runners cross home plate, piling their three game (including their two-game series against the San Diego Padres on Monday and Tuesday) total to 22 runs. The win puts the Mariners three games out of the third Wild Card spot, and at .500 for the first time since May 3rd, when the team had a record of 12-12. A series win over Toronto could be huge for the Mariners chances of grabbing a playoff spot and holding on to it.  

Good vibes only! 

Eugenio Suarez was viewed as a contract dump when the Mariners traded for Jesse Winker during training camp this past offseason. Suarez had knocks against him as a true three outcome hitter (which, for a decent part of the season, hasn’t necessarily been totally wrong) as well as defensively. Suarez has played better than expected, and that is something that the organization and fanbase can be happy about. Suarez had a solid game today, overcoming a throwing error and a base running mistake.  

Suarez had a two hit, three RBI day with a walk, as well as his 14th homer of the season. To have production come from all over is key for this Seattle ball club that failed to add seemingly enough firepower in last year's free agency, but especially so considering that the club is without Kyle Lewis, Mitch Haniger, and Tom Murphy (amongst others) due to injury. While Lewis and Haniger are scheduled to return at the end of the month, Murphy was having a solid beginning to the year. The production of Cal Raleigh minimizes that, but that’s a discussion for a different day.  

Marco outstanding stretch 

Seattle starter Marco Gonzales, although a “boring and not sexy” pitcher, has been very productive for the Mariners. Although he failed to record a strikeout (This game was the first time that the Seattle pitching staff recorded one or fewer strikeouts in general since May 16th of 2014, and first time in a WIN since April 12th of 2008), Gonzales notched another quality start. It would be Marco’s eleventh quality start on the year, which leads the Mariners and now moves him into seventh amongst all of baseball. 

Gonzales is exactly what he was called earlier in the season, “boring and not sexy.” Does that matter at all when it comes to producing numbers and keeping his club in ballgames? Not one bit. Gonzales may be overlooked with the years that Robbie Ray and Logan Gilbert are having, but Marco’s success (as well as the entirety of the rotations) is a big reason for the Mariners winning form since mid-June. Continuing to get quality starts from Gonzales and the rest of the Seattle rotation will keep the Mariners in this playoff race.  

Quick notes 

• Seattle has won eight of their last nine games, and 13 of their last 16. 

• With the win, the Mariners now hold the all-time head-to-head record over Toronto, at 102-101.  

• Since June 1st, Cal Raleigh has been the third most valuable catcher by fWAR in all of baseball, trailing only Alejandro Kirk and Travis d’Arnaud 

• Marco Gonzales has allowed 10 unearned runs this season, which is tied for the second most in all of baseball.  

• Today’s start for Marco marks his fifth consecutive quality start. 

• Marco becomes the first Mariners pitcher to throw a quality start with no walks or strikeouts since Blake Beavan back on August 29th of 2011 against the Angels 

• Carlos Santana’s RBI single in the bottom of the first inning is his first RBI as a Mariner 

Reflection 

Whenever the Blue Jays come to town, it’s always a big deal for a few reasons. Usually, Toronto is in the playoff chase, and it always seems that the entire population of Canada comes down to watch the Blue Jays play the Mariners. This series is no different, as currently Toronto sits in the third wild card spot, the team standing in the Mariners way of a playoff seed. With the victory, Seattle now sits at .500, a mark they have not been at since May 3rd.  

If somehow the Mariners are able to complete a sweep of these Blue Jays, they would take over that very spot. A series win would be great, split would be okay, but a sweep would be the absolute best-case scenario. Keep playing your game, because as of late? It’s been working for this ballclub, and without several key contributors due to injury.  

Game two of the series with our friends from up north is tomorrow, July 8th with a first pitch time of 7:10PM PST. The Mariners will have young starter George Kirby on the mound, as Seattle looks to keep their string of quality starters from their rotation going. Toronto will have a real starter on the mound (as opposed to today), as Ross Stripling gets the ball.  

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