Astros fill-in inexplicably has chip on his shoulder from tenure with Mariners

The Seattle Mariners opened the second half of their season with a crucial series win over the Houston Astros, taking two of three in a tightly contested AL West matchup. The third game was not quite as pretty. The Astros thumped Seattle 11-3 in the finale.

But buried beneath the lopsided box score was a storyline that didn’t get much attention — and probably didn’t deserve as much as it’s now getting a day later. Former Mariner Taylor Trammell, now suiting up for the Astros, had a career day against his former team. He went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and a walk to mark easily one of his best performances in the big leagues.

After the game, Trammell caught up with MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart and dropped a comment that has turned heads. He admitted he played with a “chip on his shoulder” against the Mariners, alluding to difficult times during his stint in Seattle. He gave a nod to the organization “helping him out,” but made it clear that his gratitude was directed more toward his current opportunity with Houston than any fond memories of the Mariners.

Taylor Trammell’s "chip on his shoulder" against Mariners doesn’t add up

Now, let’s be clear — Trammell did have a big game. And yes, it’s natural for players to want to make a statement against their former teams. But the whole “chip on the shoulder” narrative feels misplaced. Because from the looks of it, the Mariners gave Trammell every opportunity to succeed. And unfortunately for him, he never really showed up.

Between 2021 and 2023, Trammell logged 351 plate appearances for Seattle — enough of a sample size to draw conclusions. In that time, he slashed just .168/.270/.368 with a .639 OPS and -0.2 rWAR. His high strikeout rates (42.1%, 28.2%, and 39.3%) consistently undermined his raw power and athleticism. Despite his upside, he was never able to hit above the Mendoza Line in three separate MLB seasons.

And these weren’t call-ups to fill-in for injured outfielders. Trammell played in 116 games over those three years, bouncing between Seattle and Triple-A Tacoma. He wasn’t buried on the bench or misused. He simply didn’t produce.

That’s what makes his comments puzzling. The phrase “chip on your shoulder” implies a sense of injustice. It suggests a player was shortchanged, wronged, or overlooked. That’s just not what happened here. The Mariners didn’t slam the door shut — they held it open for years, hoping he’d walk through it.

Let’s not forget, Trammell was a meaningful part of the return in a notable 2020 trade that sent Austin Nola, Austin Adams, and Dan Altavilla to San Diego. The Mariners received a promising haul that included Ty France, Andrés Muñoz, Luis Torrens, and Trammell. All four got legitimate major league looks. France and Muñoz became foundational pieces. Trammell just didn’t stick and not for lack of opportunity.

So yes, it’s fair to say he wanted to make a statement. But let’s not pretend he was done dirty in Seattle. He had every chance to win a job, and the only thing standing in his way was his own performance.