The Mariners fell to the Red Sox 4-2 on June 17 despite Bryan Woo's quality start. Cal Raleigh homered, but the M's offense stalled in a frustrating loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night of what-ifs at T-Mobile Park. What if the bats had woken up? What if the big hit had come? Despite a solid outing from starter Bryan Woo and another moonshot from Cal Raleigh, the Seattle Mariners dropped the series opener to the Boston Red Sox 4-2, falling back to a .500 record on the season. A late rally fizzled out, leaving fans with a familiar feeling of missed opportunity.
Bryan gave us a chance tonight, but we just couldn't get the big hit when we needed it. - Manager Scott Servais
Bryan Woo was sharp for most of his outing, battling through six innings with seven strikeouts. He gave the Mariners exactly what you want from a starter: a chance to win. But one mistake pitch in the third inning was all it took for Boston's Alex Bregman to launch a two-run homer, putting the M's in a hole. The bullpen allowed one more insurance run, but the real story was the offense. Outside of a couple of key hits, the lineup was mostly silent, culminating in a ninth-inning rally that saw two runners stranded to end the game. It's a script the team needs to flip, and fast.
The biggest bright spot of the night, and perhaps the season, continues to be Cal Raleigh. The man they call 'Big Dumper' launched his 27th home run of the season in the sixth inning, a solo shot that cut into Boston's lead. With that homer, Cal extended his lead over all other MLB sluggers. He's on a historic pace, blending elite power with his usual Gold Glove-caliber defense. While his blast wasn't enough for the win tonight, it's a constant reminder of the game-changing talent anchoring this lineup.
While GM Justin Hollander stated pre-game that the team is focused on 'internal improvements' rather than the trade market, help may indeed be coming from within. Logan Gilbert threw a successful bullpen session and is reportedly nearing a return from the injured list, a massive boost for the rotation. Down on the farm, the future is also looking bright. Emerson Hancock dominated for the Tacoma Rainiers, striking out eight over six strong innings, while outfielder Jonatan Clase stayed hot with a three-hit night. The reinforcements are there, waiting for their chance.
Even on a tough night, the team's leadership and character were on display. Shortstop J.P. Crawford, who had a solid 2-for-4 night, appeared on MLB Network in the morning, reaffirming his belief in the clubhouse. 'We're a resilient group,' he said. 'We know what we're capable of.' The organization also took time to honor Juneteenth with a special pre-game ceremony, celebrating community and unity with commemorative patches and a moving choir performance.
Tonight was a classic 'good pitching, no hitting' Mariners game, a frustrating formula fans know all too well. At 10-10, the team is treading water. The good news? It's a long season, Logan Gilbert's return is imminent, and they get another shot at the Red Sox tomorrow. The resilience J.P. Crawford spoke of will be tested, and the M's need to find a way to cash in on these quality starts before they slip away.
