Mariners Weekly Rundown: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not

Jul 31, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Ketel Marte (4) in the dugout in the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Much like the rest of baseball, the Seattle Mariners were very active at the trade deadline on July 31st. Seattle said goodbye to Dustin Ackley, J.A. Happ and Mark Lowe. It may have been hard to see these veterans walk out the door, but the M’s received numerous prospects in return. Only time will tell who won these trades, but it was the right decision at the time to move these players.

This week also saw the Mariners promote top prospect, Ketel Marte. The 21-year-old shortstop is expected to play short, second base and center field over the final months of the season. The early returns for Marte have been very promising. He is hitting .333 with a pair of walks across his first 3 Major League games. Marte had a 3-hit ballgame on Sunday afternoon in Minnesota.

The changes made this week suggest that the Mariners have thrown in the towel on this season, and are now looking towards 2016. This seems like a wise decision, as the M’s went 2-5 last week. Seattle was swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks early in the week, but managed to split a 4-game set with the Twins. Seattle scored 3.7 runs per game this past week, and remarkably, they allowed 3.7 runs per game as well.

Now we will turn our attention to who stood out for the Mariners in the last 7 games. Let’s begin with Nelson Cruz, who had quite a week for the M’s.

Next: Whoa Nelly!

Aug 2, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Nelson Cruz (23) celebrates his home run against the Minnesota Twins in the 9th inning at Target Field. The Mariners win 4-1 in 11 innings. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Nelson Cruz – Hot

The 35-year-old slugger is arguably the best free agent signing in Mariners’ history, and this week he carried the club. Nelson Cruz went 12 for 31 this past week, which was good for a .387 batting average. He hit 2 doubles, 4 home runs and drove in 5 runs. His signature performance came on Sunday afternoon in the Twin Cities. With the score tied in the 9th inning, Cruz launched a solo home run that careened high off the batters eye in center field at Target Field to give the M’s the lead.

Cruz is having a remarkable debut campaign in the Emerald City. He is hitting .317 with 29 home runs and 65 RBI’s. Cruz led the league with 40 long balls last season, and I expect he will surpass that tally with ease in 2015. He has been the only consistent hitter in the M’s lineup all season, and without him, the Mariners would be completely unwatchable.

Next: King Felix

Jul 29, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) walks to the dugout after being relieved for against the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Safeco Field. Arizona defeated Seattle, 8-2. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Felix Hernandez – Not

Felix Hernandez only made 1 start for Seattle this week, but it was a bad enough to warrant his “not” rating. Hernandez allowed 7 runs on 12 hits across 6.2 innings pitched in a losing effort against the D-Backs. He struck out 7 and walked 1, but did surrender a pair of long balls.

Hernandez represented the Mariners at the Mid-Summer Classic in July, but 2015 has been a down year for the 29-year-old. He has notched 12 wins, but his 3.02 ERA is well above the 2.14 ERA he registered a year ago. King Felix’s 3.28 strikeout to walk ratio is his lowest mark since the 2009 season. He has also allowed 7 or more earned runs in 3 separate outings this season. Obviously, he remains the M’s best pitcher, but hopefully he is able to recapture his 2014 form down the stretch this season.

Next: Seags

Jul 31, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Taijuan Walker (32) and catcher Mike Zunino (3) celebrate the win against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. The Seattle Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Taijuan Walker – Hot

Prince Tai was electric this week for Seattle. In his lone start, Taijuan Walker hurled a 1-hit shutout. He fanned 11 and walked 1 across 9 superb innings. Walker’s fastball constantly hit 97 mph on the gun, and he had the ability to land his curveball on the outside corner for strikes. His stuff is as good as anyone in the game, and this week he pitched up to the lofty expectations Mariners’ fans have for the gifted 22-year-old.

It has been an up and down season for Walker in 2015. After starting the year 2-7 with a 7.33 ERA through his first 9 starts, he went 6-1 with a 1.68 ERA across his next 7 starts. Prince Tai has struggled again as of late, but hopefully he is able to build on his incredible performance against the Twinkies.

Next: Jumbo Trumbo

Jul 20, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Mark Trumbo (35) receives congratulations from teammates after scoring in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Trumbo – Hot

I was very skeptical of the trade that brought Mark Trumbo to Seattle, but he is finally starting to look like a difference maker on offense. The 29-year-old went 9 for 23 this week, which was good for a .391 batting average. Trumbo hit 3 doubles and plated 1 run for the Mariners.

The transition back to the American League has not been an easy one for Trumbo. The Villa Park, CA product is hitting .241 with 3 home runs and 12 RBI’s across 45 games with the Mariners in 2015. I would be lying if I said Trumbo has lived up to his billing this season for Seattle, but hopefully his recent hot streak is more of what fans can expect going forward.

Next: Smitty

Jul 27, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Carson Smith (39) sits in the dugout after being relieved for against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the tenth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Carson Smith – Not

This past week did not go as planned for Smitty, and has to be classified as a learning experience. Carson Smith went 0-2 and posted a 20.25 ERA across 3 appearances for Seattle. Smith struck out 3 and walked 3 through 1.1 innings pitched. He blew a gut-wrenching save opportunity on Saturday night, and one has to wonder how long Lloyd McClendon will stick with the young man.

I have been banging the table for months to see Smitty as the Mariners’ closer, but he has not been overly impressive in his opportunities thus far. The 25-year-old right-hander is 1-5 with a 2.79 ERA across 42 innings in 2015. His fastball/slider combo is incredible, but if he cannot locate his pitches, he will continue to struggle.

Next: Seth Smith

Jul 30, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Seth Smith (7) hits a two run home run in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Seth Smith – Not

Seth Smith did not have a good week for Seattle. The 32-year-old is 2 for 19 over his last 6 games, good for a .105 batting average. He has contributed 1 home run and has driven in 2 runs. He also struck out 4 times and walked just once.

Seth has been reasonably productive for the M’s in his debut season with the Mariners. He has posted a .255 with 9 home runs and 28 RBI’s. Smith was never expected to carry the team, but he has been a nice role player for the most part in 2015.

Next: Monty

Aug 1, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Mike Montgomery (37) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Montgomery – Hot

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Monty dominated this week for the Mariners. Mike Montgomery went 0-0 and registered a 2.13 ERA through 2 starts. The 26-year-old southpaw struck out 11 and walked 6 across 12.2 innings pitched. He did surrender a couple of home runs, but he held the opposition to just 3 runs.

Monty has had a stellar rookie season in Seattle. He is 4-4 with a 3.07 ERA across 12 outings. However, Montgomery has struggled with consistency over the last month. The Santa Clarita, CA product went 4-2 with 2 complete game shutouts and a 1.62 ERA over his first 7 starts. In the 5 outings since, he is 0-2 with a 5.81 ERA. I really like Monty’s approach on the mound, and I am excited to see how he closes out this season.

Next: Mariners Outlast Twins to Split Series

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