Three Seattle Mariners who are heating up in May
Here are three Mariners who have been hitting the ball well over past seven games to keep an eye on during the rest of this road trip.
The Mariners pitching staff has come up big for them all season, but now the M's are going to need more production from their starting lineup at the plate. Seattle's offense must get going on this road trip to compete with these talented offensive clubs. Especially after the Orioles offensive display, which was spear-headed by Gunnar Henderson, who hit three home runs in the Mariners series with Baltimore. The Orioles scored a total of 18 runs in the series, averaging six runs a game.
Seattle will now head to New York, as they will take on the Yankees, who also boast a potent lineup. The Yankees came into Sunday, tied with the Orioles for the most home runs in the league with 68 this season. Aaron Judge, the Yankees star center fielder, struggled in the month of April, but has heated up in the month of May, hitting .386, with seven home runs, and 12 RBIs, while posting an unreal 1.433 OPS.
Also, the Yankees right fielder Juan Soto, has been hot since the start of the season, slashing .311/.411/.552, with 11 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .963 OPS this year. Soto of course was the Yankees big off-season acquisition coming over in a trade with the San Diego Padres. Now with Soto and Judge in the heart of their lineup, the Yankees have a big two headed monster for opposing pitchers to deal with.
With the M's pitching staff in need of run support on this road trip, here are three Mariners hitters who have been hot who could help give them a lift.
Mariners' hot hitter #1 Outfielder Luke Raley
Luke Raley has been raking the past couple of weeks, providing the Mariners offense a spark. He has been seeing more playing time because of his hot bat. Even making a start at first base in the Mariners series finale against Baltimore, as Scott Servais opted to put a left-handed bat against the Orioles ace Corbin Burnes. Starting Raley over France paid off, as Raley went three for four with two doubles and a run scored.
Sunday's game highlights just how well Raley has been hitting the ball. In his last 15 games Raley is slashing .383/.431/.471, with three home runs, 8 RBIs, 10 runs scored, and two stolen bases. He has been locked in at the plate throughout the month of May. Raley's ability to get on base has been crucial, because of his speed on the base paths. He has given the Mariners exactly what they wanted when they traded for him this past off-season.
Raley's left-handed bat should play well, as the Mariners are set to take on the Yankees in New York. Yankee Stadium is great for left-handed hitters, with the short porch in right field. Raley has also put his power on display these past few weeks with three home runs in his last 15 games. He has hit the ball well in a short sample size at Yankee Stadium, with a .286 average along with a .375 OBP, in five games, but is still looking for his first home run in Yankee Stadium. Perhaps Raley can get his first HR at Yankee Stadium in this series.
Mariners' hot hitter #2 INF/OF Dylan Moore
Dylan Moore has filled in nicely for Mariners' shortstop J.P. Crawford since Crawford has been out with an oblique injury. Moore has been an exceptional utility man for the Mariners playing in both the outfield and infield positions. He really has made the most of his opportunity to start everyday for the Mariners this year. On the season Dylan Moore is hitting .229, with a .333 OBP, four home runs, 15 RBIs, and six stolen bases. In his last 15 games, Moore is slashing .271/.368/.604, with three home runs, 11 RBIs, and 10 runs scored.
Mariners' manager Scott Servais has said, he likes the at bats Dylan Moore has had this season, and that Moore is seeing the ball well. How Servais decides to use Moore going forward now that J.P. Crawford is coming back from the IL will be interesting to see. Keeping Moore's hot bat in the lineup should be a priority. Moore could move over to play second base with Jorge Polanco still nursing a hamstring injury.
The versatility of Dylan Moore is unique in that he can play almost every position on the field. Which means there are many positions for Scott Servais to find a place for Moore to get into the starting lineup. Moore's clutch RBI-double in game two of the Mariners series with the Orioles helped the Mariners salvage a game in that series. Hopefully, in New York, Dylan Moore can continue his hot hitting and help the Mariners defeat the Yankees.
Mariners hot hitter #3 Center Fielder Julio Rodriguez
After a slow start offensively in the month of April, Julio Rodriguez has started to turn it on over his past seven games. Putting together a seven-game hitting streak over that stretch, batting .429, with a home run, and three RBIs. Rodriguez scored a crucial run in the Mariners game against Baltimore on a go-head double by Cal Raleigh in the top of the eighth inning in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Orioles. After singling to lead-off the eighth.
The Mariners need Julio Rodriguez to come up big for them, as they take on the New York Yankees. Rodriguez has done a good job getting on base as of late, but the Mariners would certainly like him to start to hit for power in this series. So far this season, Rodriguez is slugging just .333, 140 points below his career slugging percentage of .473. Though he has started to show some pop in the past week, with a double and a home run over this last stretch of seven games.
Even though Julio Rodriguez has yet to put his power on display, he has been quite the table setter for the Mariners three and four hitters. Should Rodriguez start to hit for power, he could give the Mariners lineup the jolt it needs. He also has come up big in the field for the Mariners, which he has showed on this road trip, after he robbed Anthony Santander of a home run in last friday's game against Baltimore. Maybe the Yankee's hitter-friendly ballpark will help him start to hit for power, as he has also been known to do.