3 Mariners positives from the brutal loss last night to the White Sox

Mariners positive no. 3 – Mitch Haniger stays hot

Mitch Haniger came right out of the gates and started the bottom of the first with an interesting double. Mitch fought off an 0-2 95.3 mph fastball in on his hands and spooned it into short right field.

The White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal was on the left side of the infield for the shift and was unable to come up with the pop fly. He booted it around and Haniger hustled into second base with a leadoff double. Although he only hit the ball 63.5 mph and had a .290 xBA, a hit is a hit.

Later in the seventh inning, he hit his second double of the game, this time off of White Sox prospect Michael Kopech. For his second double, he wasn’t messing around and hit Kopech’s 97.3 mph pitch for a .500 xBA and 98.0 mph exit velocity. Now that is more like it!

Mitch finished the game 2 for 4, with two strikeouts and one man left on base. The 30-year-old has been off to a great start and yesterday’s game is another indication of him looking like the 2018 version of himself.

The Mariners outfielder currently leads the team in hits, batting average, and OPS. He also has 10% barrel percentage, .393 wOBA, .271 xBA, and .518 xSLG. I expect Mitch Haniger to continue his hot hitting and improve these advanced metrics to enter his name into the All-Star conversation.

The Mariners will have James Paxton on the mound today against the White Sox ace, Lucas Giolito. Let’s hope for a better day and get us to 3-2.