Mariners 2023 Recap: Re-visiting 4 Positive Pivotal Moments from this season

After watching 162 regular-season baseball games, it's easy to overlook the moments that stood out most. Since the Seattle Mariners have absolutely been a "good vibes" team, let's put on our rose-colored glasses and reminisce about the highlights.

1. Comeback Victory Against the Red Sox Kicks Off Eight-Game Win Streak

In a thrilling day game against the Boston Red Sox, the Mariners found themselves down 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning. After already taking nine pitches, Cal Raleigh slammed the tenth pitch into the right field seats for a two-run homer, bringing the score to 3-2.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Cade Marlowe's first major-league pinch-hit appearance resulted in a game-tying single up the middle.

Following RBI by Julio Rodriguez and Eugenio Suarez, Julio would score the Mariner's sixth run by stealing home and completing a four-run inning. After a clean ninth inning by Andres Munoz, the Mariners would take the win and start a dominant August that saw them post a 21-6 record.

2. Julio Rodriguez Makes History... A Couple of Times

To continue his short but already illustrious career, Julio Rodriguez accomplished two major things of note this season. Despite having what seemed to be a sophomore slump in the first half, his August put any and all detractors to rest.

He started by recording an astounding 17 hits in just four games, breaking the record of 16 hits in four games set by Milt Stock in 1925. He was also the second player in history to have four consecutive games of four hits or more. What is most impressive about this feat is how he avoided getting walked, expanding the zone and creating good contact on pitches that otherwise would have been called balls.

Julio also became the first player to record 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in each of his first two seasons, an important accolade that emphasized just how valuable he was to the Mariners team this year and last.

3. Leading the AL West for the first time since 2003

August 25th seemed like a typical Friday night at T-Mobile Park. The bottom-of-the-AL-Central Kansas City Royals were in town for the first game of a three-game series, and 45,175 fans packed the seats.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Andres Munoz struck out Freddy Fermin with an inside fastball, escaping the jam and recording his ninth save of the season. The crowd went wild not just because the Mariners had emerged victorious, but because for the first time in twenty years, the Seattle Mariners stood alone atop the highly competitive AL West division. After a horribly slow July that saw them as far back as ten games, they clawed their way all the way back to first.

It would a position they would hold for mere days but would kick off a mad dash to the finish with the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros.