Cole Young's ice-cold August looks like a cry for help from the Mariners

A man who once appeared to be Seattle's knight in shining armor has suddenly gone missing at the plate. While Cole Young's season hasn't completely disappeared, August has certainly told a different story when compared to the rest of his 2026 campaign. After establishing himself as one of the more dependable pieces in the Mariners' lineup for much of 2026, Young has struggled to match that energy heading into September.

In August, Young is hitting just .190/.253/.274 with two home runs and .527 OPS. The concern isn't about the amount of contact he's making, as he's still putting the bat on the ball. What is concerning is what happens when he does make contact.

Back in June, Young posted a .369 xwOBA. Since then, that number has fallen to a .238. It's not just that the hits aren't falling, it's that Young isn't hitting the ball with the same authority he was earlier in the season. He's still making contact, just not doing as much damage when he does. That's a pretty noticeable difference when you think about the Cole Young Seattle has come to rely on at the plate.

Jumping from a .799 OPS in July to his August numbers is a stark contrast. Whatever the reason, the current version of Young is not the same player seen at the plate just a few short weeks ago.

Is fatigue to blame for Cole Young trending in the wrong direction at the wrong time?

Young made his major league debut on May 31, 2025, against the Minnesota Twins and immediately gave Mariners fans a moment to remember. He drove home the winning run in the 11th inning for a walk-off RBI. Since then, he has continued to deliver for the Mariners, especially when they need it the most. Over 133 games, Young has achieved 121 hits, 16 home runs, and 57 RBI's while providing impressive defense at second base.

That's what creates some concern surrounding Young's recent performance. It's hard to ignore that the 23-year-old has been going basically non-stop this season. He has started 129 games at second base, and only spent 5 games away from the position. Entering the final weekend of August, he has played 133 games, the most out of any Mariner.

While Young has handled the workload well, it's possible that his age and inexperience starting to show. He is, remember, a young player handling a full major league season for the first time. Part of that comes from Brendan Donovan being out so often this season. If he had been healthy, Young could have seen more opportunities to rest or rotate around the infield. Instead, injuries like Donovan's, and plenty of others, have limited options, forcing the Mariners to rely heavily on solid and healthy players like Young.

That's where the idea that calling up a player like Michael Arroyo becomes even more interesting. Not to replace Young, but to add depth so that the Mariners can avoid fatigue becoming a bigger problem. Adding another capable option who could cover second base here and there could give Seattle the boost it needs.

While it could just be a bad month for Young, it's hard to ignore the pressure weighing on him. Fatigue is real, and the Mariners still have time, and options, to figure out where Cole Young is at before October arrives.

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