MLB: Mariners on Life Support After Series of Tight Losses to A’s

9/6/26

(Seattle, WA) A great road trip for the Seattle Mariners had T-Mobile Park back to life as the team started to make a little move in the AL West race. A fantastic series in Boston with an electric offense had the M’s back in the race and with some positive momentum as the schedule got a little bit easier. With almost exclusively AL West foes left and one series with Colorado, the M’s just needed to take care of business in September and put pressure on Houston and Texas ahead of them in the division.

Up first on the seven-game homestand would be the Athletics. A very different looking team than when the teams last met in May, the A’s have been bombarded with injuries that have really weakened a once strong lineup. With their big bats out, and the A’s not having much in terms of pitching, the series was there for the taking for Seattle.

Athletics 7, Mariners 4 (Game One, September 3rd)

The Seattle Mariners appeared to be in control early Thursday night. They just couldn’t hold onto it.

After falling behind in the opening inning, the Mariners quickly answered with three runs and looked poised to continue the offensive momentum they carried home from Boston. Instead, the Athletics slowly chipped away before taking the lead in the fifth inning and pulling away late for a 7-4 victory at T-Mobile Park.

The loss spoiled what was otherwise a promising start for Seattle, which entered the four-game series looking to build on its successful trip to Boston.

The Athletics wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. With one out in the first inning, Zack Gelof took Mariners rookie Kade Anderson deep to right-center field for his 16th home run of the season, giving the A’s an early 1-0 advantage.

Seattle, however, had an immediate response. Randy Arozarena opened the bottom of the inning with a walk before Julio Rodríguez brought him home with an RBI double. Cal Raleigh followed with an RBI single, and Lazaro Montes capped the three-run rally with a run-scoring single. Suddenly, Seattle had a 3-1 lead. The Mariners sent all nine hitters to the plate in the first inning, forcing starter Jack Perkins to throw 40 pitches. It looked like Seattle’s bats were going to continue where they left off in Boston.

The Athletics threatened to answer in the second. The first three Athletics hitters reached base against Anderson, loading the bases with nobody out. But the Mariners rookie limited the damage, getting Alika Williams to ground into a double play that brought home the A’s second run before striking out Max Muncy to end the inning.

Kade Anderson continued to work through traffic over the next few innings. The rookie also received some help from his defense, including a strong running catch from Rodríguez in the fourth inning. But the A’s eventually broke through. The Athletics took advantage of another Seattle opportunity in the fifth inning. After Zack Gelof stole second, Lawrence Butler delivered the biggest hit of the night to that point, lining a two-run single up the middle to score two runs and put the visitors ahead 4-3. Butler’s hit extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

Anderson’s night ended after five innings. He allowed four runs while striking out and working through several difficult situations, but the Mariners couldn’t keep the Athletics from eventually turning their baserunners into runs.

The A’s would add to their lead in the sixth inning against Carlos Vargas. Donovan Walton, who began his Major League career with Seattle and appeared in 37 games for the Mariners from 2019-22, launched a solo home run to right-center field. The blast was Walton’s fifth homer of the season and extended the A’s lead to 5-3.

Seattle answered in the bottom half of the sixth. Arozarena reached base to begin the inning and eventually scored when Rodríguez grounded into a force play, cutting the deficit to 5-4. The Mariners had a chance to tie the game, but the A’s bullpen once again managed to escape the inning.

The Athletics created some breathing room in the eighth. Jeff McNeil led off with a single and eventually scored when Muncy delivered an RBI single against Eduard Bazardo. The Athletics pitching staff continued to bend without breaking, even as Seattle drew walks and put runners on base. The A’s had issued eight walks during the game, but their pitchers countered those free passes with 18 strikeouts.

Insurance came for the A’s as they added another run in the ninth when Jonah Heim and McNeil hit back-to-back doubles, making it 7-4. That proved to be more than enough. Hogan Harris closed out the ninth inning to earn his 14th save of the season and secure the Athletics’ 7-4 victory.

Even in defeat, Julio Rodríguez continued to add to his impressive résumé. His home run in the eighth inning gave him his fifth consecutive 20-homer, 20-steal season. Rodríguez became the first player in Major League history to begin his career with five consecutive 20-20 seasons. It was another historic accomplishment for the young superstar, although it came on a night when Seattle couldn’t finish the job.

Notable Performances

Athletics

Mariners

• Julio Rodríguez- 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, BB, 3 SB
• Randy Arozarena- 1-3, 2B, 2 R, BB
• Kade Anderson (L, 0-1)- 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Athletics 7, Mariners 6 (Game Two, September 4th)

For the second straight night, the Seattle Mariners watched an early lead slip away against the Athletics. This time, it was a historic inning that did the damage.

Seattle jumped out to a 2-0 lead and later rallied to tie the game at five, but the Athletics answered with four home runs in the third inning and eventually held on for a 7-6 victory Friday night at T-Mobile Park. The loss dropped Seattle to 66-76 on the season and gave the Athletics their third consecutive victory. It also put the Mariners in a difficult position after dropping the first two games of the four-game series.

After Logan Gilbert worked around an early baserunner in the first inning, Seattle’s offense got to work in the second. Cole Young opened the scoring with an RBI double off Athletics starter Kade Morris, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead. J.P. Crawford followed with an RBI single, bringing home another run and putting Seattle ahead 2-0. For the second consecutive night, Seattle had an early advantage.

But the A’s were about to produce one of the their innings of its season. The Athletics completely changed the game in the third inning. Max Muncy led off the inning with a solo home run. After an out, Alika Williams followed with another solo shot. Then Jeff McNeil stepped to the plate. McNeil launched a two-run homer to right field, giving the A’s a 4-2 lead. Zack Gelof followed with his own solo blast. Just like that, the Athletics had scored five runs. It was a stunning turnaround. Seattle had gone from leading 2-0 to trailing 5-2 without the A’s recording a single non-homer hit in the inning.

The Mariners weren’t going to go quietly. Seattle immediately fought back in the bottom of the third. Julio Rodríguez brought home a run with a groundout, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Then Cal Raleigh stepped to the plate. Raleigh crushed a two-run home run, tying the game at five. The homer was Raleigh’s 21st of the season and his eighth in his last 13 games, continuing what has been an incredible power surge for the Mariners’ catcher. Once again, Seattle had erased a deficit.

But the A’s had one more rally left. Gilbert settled down after the disastrous third inning and continued to rack up strikeouts. He struck out McNeil for his 10th punchout of the night in the fifth inning, but the A’s managed to put together the hits it needed. Williams walked and stole second before Gelof delivered the biggest non-homer hit of the night. The Athletics’ second baseman lined an RBI triple, putting the A’s back in front 6-5. Lawrence Butler followed with an RBI single, extending the advantage to 7-5.

Gilbert’s night ended after 4⅔ innings. He struck out 10 Athletics but ultimately surrendered all seven runs. It was also a milestone outing for Gilbert, who reached 1,000 innings pitched with Seattle.

Seattle suffered a scare in the outfield later in the game. Lazaro Montes crashed into the outfield wall and had to leave the game. Fortunately for the Mariners, X-rays on Montes’ hip came back negative. Montes has been one of the most intriguing young players in Seattle’s lineup since making his Major League debut earlier this week, making his departure an especially concerning moment despite the encouraging initial medical news.

Seattle continued to battle. Josh Naylor delivered an RBI single in the eighth inning, cutting the deficit to 7-6. The Mariners had life. But the Athletics’ bullpen managed to shut the door. Hogan Harris came into the ninth inning looking for his 15th save of the season. After getting Seattle’s final hitters to the plate, Harris induced a flyout from Rodríguez to end the game.

The Mariners had once again come within a run of completing a comeback. Once again, they couldn’t finish it. The biggest positive for Seattle was Raleigh. His two-run blast gave him eight home runs over his last 13 games, an impressive power surge that has kept the Mariners within striking distance despite their recent struggles. Raleigh also scored three times during the game, while Josh Naylor collected three hits for Seattle.

But the Mariners need more from the rest of the lineup. The Athletics shaky pitching staff repeatedly managed to make big pitches when Seattle threatened, allowing the Athletics to preserve their one-run advantage.

Notable Performances

Athletics

Mariners

• Cal Raleigh- 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, BB
• Cole Young- 1-4, 2B, RBI, R
• Logan Gilbert (L, 11-9)- 4.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 10 SO

Athletics 6, Mariners 2 (Game Three, September 5th)

After two games decided by a combined three runs, the Seattle Mariners finally ran out of answers against the Athletics. This time, there was no late comeback to be found.

Jeffrey Springs turned in one of his best outings of the season, holding Seattle scoreless for seven innings as the Athletics defeated the Mariners 6-2 Saturday night at T-Mobile Park.

The loss gave the A’s their third straight win over Seattle and clinched the four-game series for the Athletics. For the Mariners, it was their third consecutive defeat and dropped them to a season-worst 11 games under .500.

The Mariners had scored 14 runs over the first two games of the series. Against Springs, they couldn’t get anything going. The 33-year-old left-hander retired Seattle’s lineup with remarkable efficiency, allowing only two hits and two walks over seven scoreless innings. He struck out six while throwing just 81 pitches. It was exactly the type of performance the A’s needed after allowing 13 runs over the first two games.

Springs had entered the game with a 6.37 ERA and was coming off a difficult August, but Saturday night was a completely different story. He kept Seattle’s hitters off balance throughout the evening and didn’t allow the Mariners to seriously threaten the lead until he was already out of the game.

The A’s bats broke through against George Kirby in the second inning. Max Muncy, who had already made an impact in the series opener, continued his impressive weekend by launching a 428-foot solo home run to left field. It was Muncy’s ninth homer of the season and gave the Athletics a 1-0 advantage.

Kirby settled down after the homer, but the A’s continued to put pressure on the Mariners’ right-hander. The Athletics extended their advantage in the fourth. Muncy came through again, this time with an RBI single that brought home another run. That made it 2-0.

Seattle had chances to answer, but Springs continued to shut the door. The Mariners managed only two hits through the first seven innings, and the Athletics’ defense helped keep Seattle from turning its limited opportunities into runs.

While the offense struggled, Kirby kept Seattle within striking distance. The Mariners’ starter worked into the seventh inning, ultimately allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out three. He exited after recording two outs in the seventh. Kirby wasn’t at his best, but he kept Seattle within a couple of runs for much of the night.

Unfortunately for the Mariners, the offense couldn’t take advantage. The Athletics finally created some breathing room in the eighth inning. Lawrence Butler stepped to the plate against Michael Rucker and launched a two-run homer to left field. The blast was Butler’s 13th home run of the season and pushed the lead to 5-0. After two games decided by narrow margins, the Athletics finally had the cushion they needed.

The A’s added another run before the night was over, turning the game into a six-run advantage. Seattle finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning. With Springs out of the game, the Mariners managed to put together some offense against the A’s bullpen. Cal Raleigh was one of the few bright spots for Seattle, collecting multiple hits and continuing his strong offensive stretch. His production helped spark the late rally, but it wasn’t enough to erase the deficit.

Seattle added another run in the ninth, but the A’s bullpen finished the job. After holding the Mariners scoreless for seven innings, Springs handed the game over to Geoff Hartlieb and Elvis Alvarado, who closed out the victory.

For Seattle, the loss was more than just another defeat. The Mariners had entered the series hoping to build on the offensive breakout they had shown in Boston. Instead, the Athletics had taken complete control. Seattle’s offense went from scoring eight or more runs in each game of its Boston series to being held to just two runs on Saturday.

Notable Performances

Athletics

Mariners

• Cal Raleigh- 3-4, 2B, R
• Dominic Canzone- 1-4, RBI
• George Kirby (L, 9-11)- 6.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO

Mariners 2, Athletics 0 (Game Four, September 6th)

After three frustrating days against the Athletics, the Seattle Mariners finally got the response they desperately needed. And they got it from their starting pitcher. Bryan Woo delivered the best start of his season Sunday afternoon, tossing eight scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out nine as the Mariners shut out the Athletics 2-0 at T-Mobile Park.

Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford provided the offense with back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth inning, giving Seattle all the offense it would need.The victory allowed the Mariners to avoid a four-game sweep and snapped a three-game losing streak.

From the first pitch, Woo looked like a pitcher determined not to let Seattle’s weekend end on another sour note. The right-hander dominated the A’s lineup throughout the afternoon, repeatedly getting ahead in counts and generating swing-and-miss. The Athletics managed just one hit against him. Woo struck out nine and didn’t allow a single run over eight innings, making it his longest outing of the season. He threw 96 pitches and completely neutralized the lineup that had scored 20 runs over the first three games of the series. It was exactly the performance Seattle needed.

While Woo was keeping the Athletics off the scoreboard, the Mariners were having their own problems against Athletics rookie Gage Jump. Jump kept Seattle scoreless through the first three innings, striking out seven Mariners during his four innings of work. For the first three innings, neither offense could generate much of anything.

Then Seattle finally broke through. The Mariners began the fourth inning by putting together five consecutive singles. Dominic Canzone eventually came around to score when Cal Raleigh delivered an RBI single, giving Seattle its first lead of the afternoon. It was another important hit from Raleigh, who has been one of the Mariners’ hottest hitters over the past several weeks. J.P. Crawford followed with an RBI single of his own. Just like that, Seattle had a 2-0 advantage.

And with Woo on the mound, two runs suddenly felt enormous. The Athletics had opportunities to get back into the game, but Woo continued to shut the door. The A’s couldn’t string together hits, and Seattle’s defense took care of the few balls put in play. Woo continued working through the Athletics lineup into the eighth inning, eventually recording his ninth strikeout to complete eight shutout frames. It was a performance that changed the tone of the entire series. After Seattle’s pitching staff had struggled throughout the first three games, Woo gave the Mariners a desperately needed dominant outing.

With Woo’s afternoon finished, the Mariners turned to their closer. Andrés Muñoz entered the ninth inning looking to preserve the two-run lead. He did exactly that. Muñoz struck out one and retired the Athletics in order, earning his 25th save of the season and completing Seattle’s 2-0 shutout. The A’s finished the afternoon with just one hit. More importantly, the Mariners finished with a win.

The victory doesn’t erase what happened during the first three games of the series. But Sunday’s victory prevented what would have been a disastrous four-game sweep at home. Instead, Seattle leaves the weekend with at least one positive memory — and perhaps more importantly, a reminder of what its pitching staff is capable of when everything comes together.

Woo was nearly untouchable. Raleigh and Crawford delivered the key hits. Muñoz slammed the door. That’s a winning formula.

Sunday also marked the Major League debut of one of Seattle’s top prospects. Michael Arroyo was called up from Triple-A Tacoma and made his first Major League start at second base, batting eighth in the Mariners’ lineup. The 21-year-old entered the game after hitting .283 with 18 home runs and 81 RBIs across Double-A and Triple-A this season.

While his debut wasn’t the offensive breakout Seattle may have hoped for, simply getting Arroyo onto a Major League field gave Mariners fans another young player to watch during the final weeks of the season.

Notable Performances

Athletics

Mariners

• Bryan Woo (W, 11-9)- 8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO
• Cal Raleigh- 1-3, RBI, BB
• J.P. Crawford- 1-4, RBI

Roster Moves

• INF Patrick Wisdom optioned to Triple-A Tacoma
• Seattle Mariners select contract of INF Michael Arroyo from Triple-A Tacoma

What’s Next

Things are about as bad as one could imagine for the Seattle Mariners (67-77) as they are looking more like a team that will be watching the playoffs from home. This is even despite the fact that Houston dropped their series to Arizona while Texas split four games with Tampa Bay. The Astros still hold onto the AL West lead by two games over the Rangers and six over the Mariners. Seattle is also six back of the Wild Card, so it is AL West or bust for the M’s. Houston will be in Philadelphia for three this week.

The other two AL West contenders will battle it out in Seattle this week as the M’s host the Texas Rangers in the final meeting of the season between the two teams. Texas (71-73) already secured the season series against the Mariners based on their home dominance. Seattle took two of three from Texas in Seattle back in April, but in Arlington the Rangers were 6-1 against the M’s. Texas has been very inconsistent since the deadline, but both teams will be treating this like a playoff series.

• Game One, Tuesday 6:40pm- Cody Bradford (0-4, 4.45 ERA) vs. Bryce Miller (4-8, 4.01 ERA)
• Game Two, Wednesday 1:10pm- Cal Quantrill (7-5, 2.79 ERA) vs. Kade Anderson (0-1, 5.40 ERA)
• Game Three, Thursday 1:10pm- Kumar Rocker (5-11, 4.61 ERA) vs. Logan Gilbert (11-9, 3.71 ERA)

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