8/25: Open Game Thread

After dropping two in a row to NYY 2016: A Gary Sánchez joint, the Mariners look to get back in the W column in this, the first of a three-game series against the White Sox. As Jake mentioned in his series preview, the White Sox have slumped some since we last saw them at Safeco back in July, when the Mariners took two of three from the Sox, courtesy of Adam Lind and Leonys Martín walkoff homers. At the end of that series the Mariners had just clawed up over .500 again after their disastrous June, at 48-47, while the Sox fell to 46-48. Fast forward a month and the Mariners have gotten up to 67-59, using teams like the Athletics and Brewers as footholds, while the Sox have tumbled to 60-65. They're by no means a doormat, however, and the Mariners face two of the toughest pitchers in the AL in Sale and Quintana. Tonight, however, they're seeing Anthony Ranaudo, who as Jake mentioned, has struggled some:

Let's see how Anthony Ranaudo's night is going... pic.twitter.com/Th7VWX0QYr

— Phenomenal Source (@SouthSideSox) August 18, 2016

Everyone has a favorite Swelmet picture, and this is mine (don't tell MiMo). Everything Paxton has been through in his career--how snakebit he seemed to be with injuries, the Sad Paxton memes, "see the Dad, gutted," an endless litany of struggle--this picture is a moment of perfect triumph over them all. It simultaneously fills me with joy and makes me want to run through a wall. If James Paxton gets to pitch in a Mariners World Series appearance I will get his maple leaf tattoo on my arm and I will not regret a second of it (also, the time may come where it's useful to have people think I'm Canadian). First outings after rehabs are always tricky to predict, but Paxton has already come so far from where he's been that--next to Mike Z's ascension--this is my favorite storyline of the season.

Shawn O'Malley playing third base because Kyle Seager's foot still hurts = "this is fine" dog dot jpeg

Game Info:
Game time: 5:10 PST on ROOT NW and something called CSCh. Pay your respects to U.S. Cellular Field before it turns into Guaranteed Rahahahahha oh man you guys remember when we thought Centurylink Field was a bad name? At least that could be called The Clink, which is mildly charming. GuaRate sounds like a mashup between a secret gulag for political dissidents staffed by bionic rat-people and one of those super spicy peppers that make your eyes bleed.
Game also on: KTTH 770 AM (because Seahawks) and MLB.tv