FanSided

Mariners vs. Yankees: DMo stays scorching, Bryan Woos the crowd & his parents

Seattle managed to split a four-game series against the red-hot Bronx bombers while a few players continued their stellar seasons

By Jason Wang |
Seattle Mariners v New York Yankees
Seattle Mariners v New York Yankees / New York Yankees/GettyImages
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While I wouldn't necessarily call it a rivalry, the Mariners and the Yankees have at least some history. After all, they were on the receiving end of Edgar Martinez's walk-off double in the 1995 ALDS. The Yankees also beat the Mariners in two consecutive ALCS matchups in 2000 and 2001. Needless to say, it's usually pretty exciting when these two teams have the opportunity to face each other and this series was no different.

Best Hitter: Dylan Moore

16 PA, .417/.563/1.000, 5 H, 1 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 2 K

It really doesn't look like Moore will be slowing down anytime soon. He's been on an absolute tear, posting a 1.059 OPS for his 77 plate appearances in the month of May, and has been the backbone of the Mariners' offense. He did it all against the Yankees, racking up three extra-base hits, batting in four runs, and striking out just twice in 16 plate appearances.

His slash line for the series is actually a pretty good representation of his style of play. He's got great quality of contact numbers, walks at a 12.4% clip, and strikes out at a rate just a smidge above average at 23.4%. In addition to hitting the ball slightly harder this year, he's also getting more lift on the ball, allowing him to hit fewer ground balls and collect more extra bases. In the month of May alone, he's already accumulated six doubles, a triple, and five home runs. If he keeps it up, he'll blow his numbers from previous seasons out of the water.

Honorable Mention: Ty France

16 PA, .250/.438/.500, 3 H, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K

It's not as appealing of a slash line as Dylan Moore's but in a vacuum, it's quite good, especially the 0.438 on-base percentage. It's no secret that Ty France isn't having a great year and seems to be continuing the struggles he had last season, which is why his strong showing in New York was a welcome sight.

The main problem is that he doesn't seem to be doing anything particularly well this year and has really struggled on defense, currently hovering at -4 OAA and -1 DRS. He's not particularly fast, hasn't hit the ball very hard or very frequently, and his 2024 slash line of .236/.298/.370 is not what Seattle should be expecting from their first baseman. It's a big reason why there has been conversation about pursuing potential first base trade targets, like Pete Alonso, to help drive a deep playoff run in October. France still has a few weeks to really pick it up but his starting spot may be hanging in the balance.

Best Pitcher: Bryan Woo

6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, W

Woo dealt an absolute gem against one of the most frightening lineups in baseball. Leading MLB with 75 combined home runs and an OPS of .772, the sheer potency of the Yankees offense is what made Woo's start all the more special. After a potential injury scare in his first game off the IL against the Athletics, he's pitched 11.1 innings while giving up just one earned run. Against New York, he had 16 swings and misses, ten of which were from his four-seam fastball.

While the fastball continues to be his best pitch, the increased usage of his changeup may be a big cause of his improved performance against lefties. In 2023, it was a big hole in his game, with opposing LHB posting a .928 OPS against him in 180 plate appearances. So far, in 33 plate appearances, the opposing LHB have only managed a .406 OPS. Scott Servais has continued to emphasize the importance of Woo continuing to develop his arsenal and add an effective breaking or off-speed pitch so it's clear that the team knows the talent they have in Woo and what to do to get him to the net level.

Honorable Mention: Andrés Muñoz

2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 SV

Muñoz gets another nod for more great work as the team's closer. There was some potential for Ryne Stanek to compete for the spot but with Muñoz earning his tenth save of the season, it seems clear who Servais prefers in high-leverage situations.

A great example of just how great he's been was his first save of the series. After Seattle's bats came to life and put up four runs in the ninth inning to take a one-run lead, Muñoz was tasked with sealing the deal. He ended up facing the top of the Yankees order which contained Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto, and Aaron Judge. He struck out Volpe and Judge and got Alex Verdugo to ground out to give Seattle the win. His final pitch to Judge in particular was the cherry on top to a dominant at-bat.

Best Moment: Bryan Woo's parents celebrate his stellar start

While Yankee Stadium is usually packed with New York natives and fans of the pinstripes, there are always a few fans of the away team who manage to make their way over to 161 St. On Tuesday, two of those away team fans were none other than Bryan Woo's parents, ready to cheer on their son as he took the mound.

It's a magical moment for any parent to see their child play baseball at the highest level, especially when he's pitching six scoreless innings. Bryan Woo has dealt with injury struggles and is getting a relatively late start to his season but it's been a great one nonetheless. He's still an integral part of a highly competitive rotation and has been as advertised since getting called up last year.

If Bryan Woo can keep even 85% of this level of production, it's going to be a massive influx to the Mariners rotation. Knowing that your day's off as a hitter are against Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller is going to lead to some frusturated opposing hitters. Woo has looked incredible since he has been back, topped off by this most recent start against the Yankees.

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