Mariners are at least a month late with major lineup change for ALCS Game 5

The Seattle Mariners have scored a total of 14 runs in the five games they've played at T-Mobile Park in the postseason. As such, perhaps it isn't the biggest surprise that they're shaking things up ahead of what could be the last home game of their season.

When the Mariners revealed their lineup for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday, the big change was unmistakeable: Randy Arozarena is out at leadoff, while Julio Rodríguez is in.

It's a move that smacks of desperation, though these are certainly desperate times for the Mariners. The 2-0 lead they had on the Toronto Blue Jays after the first two games of the ALCS is gone, and it didn't exactly die a hero after back-to-back embarrassing losses in Games 3 and 4. One way or another, the series will shift back to Toronto on Sunday.

The Mariners moving Randy Arozarena out of the leadoff spot was long overdue

Yet this is also a move that smacks of good sense, and it's all there in Arozarena's splits since he took up a permanent spot in the No. 1 hole back on July 31:

• August: .680 OPS, 5 HR
• September: .596 OPS, 1 HR
• October: .536 OPS, 1 HR

The leadoff spot clearly hasn't agreed with the two-time All-Star, and it has wrecked what was once a promising season. He had an .822 OPS and 21 home runs before Dan Wilson moved him up in the lineup following the additions of Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez ahead of the trade deadline.

If only we could say we were surprised. Though Arozarena does draw a walk every now and then, his approach at the plate isn't so much measured as of the "swing hard in case you hit it" variety. He's not the type to set others up to do damage. He's the type to do the damage.

Unfortunately, whether Julio is a better fit for the leadoff spot is suspect. He's another "swing hard in case you hit it" type, and the .571 OPS he posted in the leadoff spot this year is not exactly encouraging. He did much better after he moved into the No. 3 hole after Cal Raleigh in the Mariners' post-deadline lineups, putting up a .906 OPS down the stretch. All three of his homers in the playoffs have likewise come in the No. 3 spot.

If it had been us, we would have much preferred to see Josh Naylor take Arozarena's place in the leadoff spots. Beyond being an absolute pest to face, he has a good feel for getting on base and is ironically the best baserunner on the team despite his third-percentile sprint speed.

Whatever the case, the new lineup has to work now. With only two games standing between the Mariners and elimination, the hope is that the click will be instant and that the offense will finally take some pressure off a pitching staff that has been throwing seemingly every pitch in high-leverage.

We'll find out soon, as first pitch for Game 5 is slated for 3:08 p.m. PT.