Grading the unstoppable Seattle Mariners' dramatic 2-1 series win vs. Athletics

It is only becoming more apparent that the 2025 Seattle Mariners are simply inevitable, as they have won nine series in a row after taking two of three from the Athletics in Sacramento.

In what is becoming a recurring theme, the Mariners had to fight for this one. They lost the first game on Monday (in frustrating fashion, no less) and faced late deficits on Tuesday and Wednesday. Yet those both turned into Ws, allowing the Mariners to push their record to 22-14 and their lead in the American League West to 3.0 games.

Seattle's 6-5 win on Wednesday was a true team effort, with even the newest Mariner getting in on the fun. Leody Taveras tied the game with a two-out single to deliver Miles Mastrobuoni (pinch-running for Jorge Polanco following a double) from second, and then scored go-ahead run on a double by Dylan Moore.

Let's get more into this series by discussing what went right, what went wrong, and what grades the Mariners earned in all facets of the game.

Mariners vs. Athletics Breakdown and Grades: Series Results

• Monday, May 5: SEA 6, ATH 7 (11)
• Tuesday, May 6: SEA 5, ATH 3
• Wednesday, May 7: SEA 6, ATH 5

Grading the Mariners’ Offense: B

The Mariners didn't tear the cover off the ball in this series, but it's not a non-storyline that they tallied at least five runs in all three games. They've now done so 18 times in their first 36 games, six more than at the same point last season.

This series is emblematic of how hard it is to trace the Mariners' offensive success to any one thing. They're among the best team in MLB at hitting home runs, stealing bases, drawing walks, and even getting hit by pitches, and all four of those qualities were on display across the three games.

Even better, this team's clutch gene is starting to take shape. Hitting with runners in scoring position was a huge struggle early on, but not anymore. Cal Raleigh delivered a huge two-run single to win Game 2 on Tuesday, and Rowdy Tellez set up Taveras' heroics with a momentum-turning three-run homer on Wednesday.

Don't look now, but Julio Rodríguez is also starting to warm up. He had multiple hits on Tuesday and Wednesday, including his sixth home run of the season. He's batting a solid .284 with three homers in his last 16 contests.

Grading the Mariners’ Defense: A

The Mariners did make a couple of errors in this series, but they only have 15 of those for the season and one of them was basically a phantom error.

This is the catcher's interference that Raleigh was called for in the bottom of the 10th on Monday. It didn't look like Luis Urías made contact with Raleigh's glove, and "Big Dumper" was just as stumped as everyone else.

“Looking back at the film, when you really zoom in, you can see my lace kind of go, but, I mean, it’s just crazy,” Raleigh said, via Zac Hereth of Seattle Sports. “It’s very impressive that he called that. So if it did hit it, then that’s a good call but just tough in the moment.”

Still, all that play really cost the Mariners was a few extra pitches for Andrés Muñoz. The throwing error by Mitch Garver on Wednesday was likewise a no harm, no foul play.

What really mattered in this series was the strong work the Mariners did on the infield. Ben Williamson just keeps making highlight-reel plays at third base, and both Moore and Leo Rivas pitched in some nifty catches on line drives at second base.

If it's the play of the series you want, how about Bryan Woo channeling his inner shortstop (a position he played in high school) to rob Jhonny Pereda of a hit on Wednesday:

The Mariners remain in the red for Defensive Runs Saved (-7) and Outs Above Average (-6), but it's hard to watch them on a day-to-day basis and see defense as a problem.

Grading the Mariners’ Pitching: C

Just as we all expected following his opening dud and subsequent demotion, Emerson Hancock has become one of the Mariners' most reliable starting pitchers.

That first part was sarcasm, by the way, but Hancock really has been that good since returning from Tacoma on April 17. His quality start (6 IP, 2 ER) on Tuesday made it three in a row for him in that department, and he has a 3.52 ERA for his last four starts overall. He's throwing strikes and using his changeup effectively, as opposing batters are hitting just .100 against it.

Returns in this series were more mixed for Bryce Miller and Woo, who combined to allow nine runs over 10 innings in the first and third games. Miller at least refrained from walking anyone, but allowing seven hits with just one strikeout in 4.0 innings is merely the latest variation on a broader theme of him being more hittable than he was in 2024.

Woo got hit hard on Wednesday, and particularly via an average of 101.4 mph against his four-seamer. And after three earned runs in the first inning, he's now allowed seven runs in the opening frame in his seven starts. He and the Mariners need to look into that for possible adjustments.

For the relief core, Muñoz was finally charged with a run on Monday but still has a 0.00 ERA for the season. He's basically automatic, even when the bases are loaded and nobody is out:

Muñoz aside, the bullpen otherwise had a familiar problem in this series: not enough strikeouts. Seattle's relievers collectively have a 18.9 strikeout percentage, the worst in the American League. Take Muñoz out of the equation, and that figure drops to a meager 16.6 percent.

Just sayin': It's not too early for the Mariners to consider their trade options.

Grading the Mariners’ Strategy: D

In all fairness to Dan Wilson, he pushed the button that called Raleigh to the plate with the bases loaded and the Mariners down a run in the ninth inning on Tuesday. That worked out as expected, as "Big Dumper" produced a game-winning hit.

The pinch-hitter has been one of Wilson's go-to moves in 2025, and the early returns are about as good as anyone could hope. To this end, he can claim credit as a competent in-game manager.

But then there's what happened Monday night, which is about as unforgivable a case of managerial malpractice as there can be. Intentionally walking two batters to set Jacob Wilson, a .357 hitter, up for a game-winning knock was a baffling decision, and it directly resulted in a loss when Wilson naturally came through with said knock.

"That's on me," said Wilson after the game, but no amount of accountability can erase a loss from the books. And after the Mariners finished one game short of a playoff spot in 2023 and 2024, this fanbase knows all too well how big of a difference even one loss can make.

That blunder alone had us thinking about giving Wilson an F, but Raleigh's successful pinch-hit appearance isn't the only thing that bumped us to a D. The skipper deserves some credit for the bullpen having a 3.46 ERA despite the dearth of strikeouts. Lest anyone doubt it, Mariners pitchers have had the platoon advantage more often than any other club's hurlers.

All's well that ends well, of course, and the reality is that the Mariners have won nine straight series for the first time since 2001. If that's not a good omen, nothing is.