Seattle Mariners fall 3-1 to the Boston Red Sox on June 19, 2025. Garrett Crochet's dominance and a Trevor Story homer expose the M's offensive struggles.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It's a familiar, frustrating story. Just as the Mariners claw their way into the playoff picture, the bats go quiet and the momentum vanishes. That's exactly what happened Wednesday night at T-Mobile Park, as a dominant performance by Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet and a decisive two-run homer by Trevor Story handed Seattle a 3-1 loss and a disappointing series defeat. The loss underscores a troubling trend for a team with postseason aspirations: a feast-or-famine offense that can't seem to find a consistent rhythm.
As of June 19, the Mariners have accumulated a 'Summer Score' of 12, reflecting the number of days they've held a playoff position since late May.
Luis Castillo gave the Mariners a chance, battling through six innings, but a couple of mistakes proved costly. A solo shot by rookie Marcelo Mayer in the second was answered when Randy Arozarena scampered home on a wild pitch, but that was all the offense Seattle could muster. The back-breaker came in the fourth when Trevor Story connected on a two-run blast that put Boston ahead for good. Castillo's final line—6 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, 5 K—wasn't terrible, but it wasn't enough to overcome the lineup's collective slumber against Red Sox lefty Garrett Crochet, who carved up the M's for six innings, allowing just one run while striking out eight without issuing a single walk.
Even amidst the offensive struggles, catcher Cal Raleigh continues to be a supernova. He entered the off-day leading all of Major League Baseball with a staggering 26 home runs. His blend of elite-tier defense behind the plate and historic power from the left side has him squarely in the early American League MVP conversation. While his bat was kept in the yard on Wednesday, his season-long performance is the engine of this team. However, the loss serves as a stark reminder that even an MVP-caliber season from one player can't carry an entire offense night in and night out.
The loss dropped the Mariners back out of a playoff spot, a frustratingly common occurrence this season. A new metric, the 'Summer Score,' perfectly captures Seattle's precarious position. The score, which tracks the number of days a team holds a playoff spot between May 27 and June 19, sits at 12 for the Mariners. It's a quantitative look at their season-long dance on the bubble—good enough to be in the hunt, but not consistent enough to stay there. Games like Wednesday's are exactly why that score isn't higher, as missed opportunities against beatable teams are keeping them from solidifying their standing in the AL.
The Mariners get a much-needed day off Thursday to lick their wounds and reset. They'll need it, as the Chicago Cubs roll into town Friday for a crucial weekend series. With George Kirby slated to take the mound in the opener, the M's have their ace ready to go. The question, as it has been all season, is whether the rest of the lineup can wake up and provide the support that a Cy Young-caliber rotation and an MVP-caliber catcher deserve. This team is teetering on the edge of contention; this weekend will be a big test of which way they'll fall.
