%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20827.4%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20827.4%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%230C2C56%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%234D4D4D%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%230F9AA3%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bfill%3A%23001C43%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M70.4%2C94.8C63.3%2C90%2C55%2C87%2C45.3%2C85.7c-7.7-1-11.8-3.1-13.1-4.7c-0.6-0.7-1.6-1.9%2C0.3-5.3%0A%09%09c1.9-3.2%2C7.7-3.9%2C12.2-3.9c5.1%2C0%2C8.9%2C1.2%2C12.6%2C3.8c4.3%2C3.1%2C9.5%2C2.9%2C13-0.7l5.1-5.1c2.1-2.1%2C3.2-4.9%2C3.1-7.7%0A%09%09c-0.1-2.8-1.4-5.3-3.7-7.2c-3.6-2.8-6.9-4.8-10.6-6.4c-5.9-2.5-13.8-3.7-23.5-3.7c-9.1%2C0-17.9%2C3-26.2%2C8.9%0A%09%09c-8.7%2C6.3-13.2%2C14.7-13.2%2C25c0%2C11.6%2C4.1%2C19.8%2C12.1%2C24.7c7.2%2C4.3%2C15.3%2C7%2C24%2C8c9.6%2C0.9%2C12.9%2C3.3%2C14%2C5.2c1.5%2C2.6%2C1.5%2C4.9%2C0%2C7.5%0A%09%09c-1.6%2C2.7-6.5%2C4.1-13.3%2C3.8c-6.9-0.3-12.3-2-16.9-5.3c-4.3-3.1-9.5-2.8-12.9%2C0.7l-5.2%2C5.1c-2.2%2C2.2-3.3%2C5-3.1%2C7.9%0A%09%09c0.2%2C2.8%2C1.6%2C5.4%2C4%2C7.2c3.7%2C2.9%2C7.4%2C5%2C12%2C7c6.8%2C2.9%2C15.3%2C4.4%2C25.4%2C4.4c10.8%2C0%2C20.4-3.3%2C28.6-9.8c8.5-6.6%2C12.8-14.7%2C12.8-24.1%0A%09%09C82.7%2C109.1%2C78.5%2C100.3%2C70.4%2C94.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M142.6%2C44.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8C92.9%2C71.1%2C87.6%2C84.3%2C87.6%2C99.9c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%0A%09%09c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8s28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8c10.5-10.5%2C15.8-23.7%2C15.8-39.2c0-15.6-5.3-28.8-15.8-39.2%0A%09%09C171.4%2C50.1%2C158.2%2C44.8%2C142.6%2C44.8z%20M161.9%2C120c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C169.2%2C108%2C166.8%2C114.6%2C161.9%2C120z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M248.3%2C44.8H215c-5.7%2C0-10%2C4.3-10%2C10v90.2c0%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C10%2C10%2C10h33.3c33.8%2C0%2C51.6-19%2C51.6-55%0A%09%09C299.9%2C63.8%2C282.1%2C44.8%2C248.3%2C44.8z%20M248.3%2C126.5h-14.9V73.3h14.9c15.9%2C0%2C23.2%2C8.5%2C23.2%2C26.6C271.5%2C118.1%2C264.1%2C126.5%2C248.3%2C126.5z%0A%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M362.3%2C44.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8c-10.5%2C10.5-15.8%2C23.7-15.8%2C39.2c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%0A%09%09c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8c15.6%2C0%2C28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8c10.5-10.5%2C15.8-23.7%2C15.8-39.2c0-15.6-5.3-28.8-15.8-39.2%0A%09%09C391.1%2C50.1%2C377.9%2C44.8%2C362.3%2C44.8z%20M381.5%2C120c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C388.9%2C108%2C386.5%2C114.6%2C381.5%2C120z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M548.3%2C44.8c-2.6%2C0-4.9%2C1.1-6.7%2C3l-39.8%2C45.3L462%2C47.8c-1.7-1.9-4.1-3-6.7-3h-1.3c-4.2%2C0-7.3%2C4.2-7.3%2C10v90.1%0A%09%09c0%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C10%2C10%2C10h8.5c5.7%2C0%2C10-4.3%2C10-10v-42.8l19%2C21.2c2%2C2.2%2C4.7%2C3.5%2C7.6%2C3.5s5.6-1.2%2C7.6-3.5l19-21.2l0.1%2C42.9%0A%09%09c0%2C5.7%2C4.3%2C10%2C10%2C10h8.5c5.7%2C0%2C10-4.3%2C10-10V54.8C556.9%2C49.1%2C553.2%2C44.8%2C548.3%2C44.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M674.4%2C99.8c0-15.6-5.3-28.8-15.8-39.2c-10.5-10.5-23.7-15.8-39.2-15.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8%0A%09%09c-10.5%2C10.5-15.8%2C23.7-15.8%2C39.2c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8c15.6%2C0%2C28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8%0A%09%09C669.1%2C128.6%2C674.4%2C115.4%2C674.4%2C99.8z%20M638.6%2C119.9c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C645.9%2C108%2C643.5%2C114.5%2C638.6%2C119.9%0A%09%09z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M811.6%2C60.6c-10.5-10.5-23.7-15.8-39.2-15.8c-15.6%2C0-28.8%2C5.3-39.2%2C15.8c-10.5%2C10.5-15.8%2C23.7-15.8%2C39.2%0A%09%09c0%2C15.5%2C5.3%2C28.7%2C15.8%2C39.2c10.5%2C10.5%2C23.7%2C15.8%2C39.2%2C15.8c15.6%2C0%2C28.8-5.3%2C39.2-15.8c10.5-10.5%2C15.8-23.7%2C15.8-39.2%0A%09%09C827.4%2C84.3%2C822.1%2C71.1%2C811.6%2C60.6z%20M791.6%2C119.9c-5%2C5.3-11.2%2C7.9-19.2%2C7.9c-8%2C0-14.3-2.6-19.3-7.9c-5-5.4-7.4-12-7.4-20.1%0A%09%09c0-8.1%2C2.4-14.7%2C7.4-20.1c5-5.3%2C11.2-7.9%2C19.2-7.9c8%2C0%2C14.3%2C2.6%2C19.3%2C7.9c5%2C5.4%2C7.4%2C12%2C7.4%2C20.1C799%2C108%2C796.5%2C114.5%2C791.6%2C119.9z%22%0A%09%09%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M700%2C44.8h-8.3c-5.7%2C0-10%2C4.3-10%2C10l0.1%2C87.6v9.4c0%2C7.5-2.9%2C10.8-9.7%2C11l-0.8%2C0v-4.5c0-1.3-0.7-2.6-1.7-3.1%0A%09%09c-0.3-0.2-0.7-0.3-1.1-0.3c-0.7%2C0-1.4%2C0.3-1.9%2C0.9l-16.2%2C19c-0.5%2C0.6-0.8%2C1.5-0.8%2C2.4s0.3%2C1.8%2C0.8%2C2.4l16.2%2C19%0A%09%09c0.5%2C0.6%2C1.2%2C0.9%2C1.9%2C0.9c0.4%2C0%2C0.7-0.1%2C1.1-0.3c1-0.5%2C1.7-1.7%2C1.7-3.1v-6.6h7.9c8.9%2C0%2C16.4-2.9%2C22.2-8.7l0%2C0%0A%09%09c5.7-5.7%2C8.6-13.3%2C8.6-22.5l0-16.2V54.8C710%2C49.1%2C705.7%2C44.8%2C700%2C44.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Reason #1: The Rotation is going to keep us in plenty of games
Yeah, yeah. I know this is a weird one to start out with when we just blew a 7-0 lead early with a veteran starter on the mound who was replacing a former Cy Young winner. I still stand by my point. Flexen will throw out a massive dud once or twice a year. Does anyone remember the start against the Padres?
Flexen is going to be fine and still sports an ERA under 4 since joining the Mariners. Marco holds up the back of the rotation and is a great number 5 to have for now. (Yes, I know he started as the 4, but if you think he is better than Kirby you deserve to be benched). We still have La Piedra, Walter, and Mr. Control. Side note - Kirby needs a nickname.
Those guys are all easily capable of going 6 strong innings, and they've shown it time and time again since donning Mariners uniforms. Kirby can fire his way through innings, mowing guys down with efficiency as he peppers the zone. Castillo is straight-up nasty, and Gilbert chews through innings with a workhorse mentality.
Robbie Ray is set to start soft toss this week, still in line with throwing and being re-evaluated at 2 weeks, and hoping to be back after 4-6. Even with the stinker from Flexen, this rotation is still really good.