8/21/19: Open Game Thread

It’s been a good year to be hanging out in AAA if you’re a Seattle Mariners player. 16 Mariners have made their big league debut this season for the M’s, and today’s lineup means No. 17 is coming.

Many of those players are elsewhere at this point. Ruben Alaniz is in Cincinnati, Parker Markel with the Pirates, David McKay in Detroit, and Tayler Scott in Baltimore. But they began here, and don’t you forget it. Jake Fraley is a more well-regarded prospect than most of the names above, however, and just the fourth of the players acquired as pieces of “step-back” trades to make their Mariners big league debut, following Justus Sheffield, Erik Swanson, and Shed Long. The delightful emergence of Austin Nola and Tom Murphy, as well as solid play relative to expectations from Tim Lopes and J.P. Crawford has been pleasant for the present and future, but there’s no doubt that seeing other young talents arrive makes the final month and change of the season more appealing.

On the other end of the spectrum, today will feature Cory Gearrin, followed by Wade LeBlanc, as the M’s try to almost accidentally sweep the Rays out of the Wild Card spot they’ve held for most of the year. They’ll face Cy Young candidate Charlie Morton, with Austin Nola hitting 3rd and Tim Lopes in LF because really, why wouldn’t you?

Game Time: 10:10 AM PT
TV: ROOT
Radio: 710 AM ESPN
Online: MLB.TV