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3 key reasons Mariners were able to break out the brooms in their sweep of the Reds
With many a fan hanging their head before the series, the Mariners changed their season outlook with a sweep of the Reds, and here's how they did it
You wouldn't think it because of how long the baseball season is, but things can still change fast for any team. It's even more apparent when you think about a team like the Mariners, and the position that they were in heading into this latest series that they just completed against the Reds. They were 6-10 heading in, and plenty of fans were downtrodden because of how the season started.
Was it too early to call this series against the Reds a turning point? It remains to be seen, but even heading into the series, I think it was a fairly valid point to make and argue. Think about it this way. If the Mariners got swept, they would've been 6-13 and owners of one of the 5 worst records in baseball. To make the playoffs, you would have to assume they'd need to play at a 97-win (60%) pace the rest of the season to get to 92 wins, which comfortably puts you in the playoffs. Would 86-57 be possible?
Instead, they now sit at 9-10, and things look a lot better. 83-60 sounds a lot more doable than 86-57, even though it's just three games. I think the more important aspect to look at here is the AL West, and how even with a C- grade to start the season, the Mariners are only one game back of the division lead.
So, how did they get here? Let's take a look at the most impactful reasons that the Mariners were able to sweep the Reds as they (hopefully) turned their season around.
Reason #1: Mariners Starting Pitching was insanely good
Heading into the season, one of the most fun things to talk about as a Mariners' fan was the starting rotation. Shoot, you take everything I wrote about them here for the site, and it would probably be enough to fill a book. The Mariners top three pitchers were all expected to be serious contenders for the Cy Young. Then, you had your #4 and #5 as pieces that it seemed like every single team in baseball wanted. Could you be in a better spot?
Well, Bryan Woo started the season on the injured list, alongside possibly 2 of the Mariners best 3 bullpen options. It brought up one of the concerns that was thrown around about the rotation, in that past the incredible 1-5, there wasn't anything else. Emerson Hancock has had two good box score outings, but is really struggling so far in the rotation. There's a thought that the Mariners could look to Jhonatan Diaz to fill his spot, but we are yet to see that happen while waiting for Woo to return.
After a rough start, the rotation is back to prime form, shutting down a team that was rocking one of the best offenses in baseball. Even after the series, the Reds still have the 9th most runs scored in the league. Just how good was the rotation against them?
18-2/3 innings, 19 Ks, 2 BB, 9 H, 4 ER, 1.93 ERA, 0.589 WHIP
Yeah, that's nasty. Those are video game numbers right there. Every single Mariners pitcher had a quality start, pushing their streak up to seven straight games with one. Miller showed out in the finale, making one mistake all game on a solo homer. It was the only hit he gave up. As a whole, the Mariners pitchers held the Reds to just 5 runs all series, after they had been averaging 6 per game. That's right, the Reds scored less in the series than they had been scoring per game. Great work by our staff.
Reason #2: Patience at the plate brought opportunity and reward
Patience at the plate finally paid off for the Mariners, and it was apparent from the first inning of game one that things seemed a bit different. They forced Frankie Montas to throw 45 pitches, and it set the tone for the entire series for the Mariners at the plate. You saw it again in game 2 when they got Hunter Greene to throw 98 pitches through just four innings of work, really making him struggle to accomplish anything, even if he did have 8 Ks. I think thats a tradeoff the Mariners make every single day, taking all those K's to get Greene out early, especially after seeing Montas run after just two innings the night before.
The Mariners would total 20 walks in the series, with marks of 6-7-7 throughout. Pair that with 25 hits, and it makes sense as to why the Mariners were able to do damage throughout. They were constantly putting people in position to score, even if they only scored three in the second game. It's a step forward for the offense, and a handful of them are starting to get right as we get into the second half of October.
You know what else normally helps an offense? Going to Colorado. Let's hope that is true for the Mariners, as that's where they are headed next. After seeing 13 HBH, five of which were homers, it would be great to see another game or two at Coors with a nice output from the lineup.
Reason #3: Jonatan Clase brought a spark to the team
If you're straight looking at the box score, you may not understand what I mean here. 2-11 with a slash line of .182/.250/.273. He had a double and two RBI, and was able to steal his first base in the majors. Yeah, it's an okay line, but it's so much more than that.
Clase never really looked overmatched at the plate, showing a bit of struggle occasionally, but much less than you would expect from a 21-year-old making his major league debut. He would've had another double if not for a spectacular play in shallow left field by Elly De La Cruz, who seemed to cover 200 feet of ground while making a sliding play to rob Clase. With how the ball flared out there, Clase easily would've gotten to second with his speed if it landed.
If we can see a line of .240/.310 from Clase, he's never going to go back down. That speed is a game-changer, and there was a buzz and excitement every time he came to the plate because every single person watching wanted to watch what would happen if he ended up on first base. By no means am I saying that Clase is going to all of a sudden be the next massive superstar, but he's long been a guy I thought would see success going back to 2021.
Your Mariners 2024 Center Fielder is… Jonatan Clase. He has 16 steals in 57 plate appearances for the Rookie team and hasn’t been caught. As he grew, there is actually some power there as well. He could be a 15 homer – 70 steal guy. Everything you wanted from Billy Hamilton, might be found in Clase.
Am I tooting my own horn? Is it too early to do so? I don't care. I'm stoked to see Clase up in the majors, and it brought back a buzz and excitement to this team that sorely needed it. Clase was a big reason the Mariners had success this series, and I would love to see it continue going forward.