9/16/20: Open Game Thread

Tonight the Mariners will make up the game that got postponed yesterday because apparently 249 is an unacceptable air quality in which to play baseball, but 240 is not. Yeah, we’re still salty about it. Today’s game is at 6:45, tomorrow’s is a day game at 1:10, and then supposedly the Mariners and Padres will fly back to Seattle for a set of games there, but honestly, it seems like it just makes a lot more sense for them to go play in Petco instead. Indeed, there seems to be some indication that could be on the table:

But back to this game, and not that sexy Padres team. Tonight the Mariners face the second-to-last-sexiest California baseball team (you get two guesses for who the least sexy California baseball team is, and the first one doesn’t count). The Mariners will be running back their same lineup as when they played in the orange hellscape of Northern California last week, hopefully with better results for Ljay Newsome. Also, I now have to differentiate which hellscape in which time I’m talking about. [Extremely The Aristocrats voice] 2020!

J.P. Crawford returns to his rightful place at shortstop and atop the lineup, which, no offense to Dylan Moore, but watching J.P. play defense is one of my few 2020 pleasures. Also, I realized while watching the Mariners sleepwalk through that Game 2 loss to the A’s that I am at least 40% less interested in a lineup that doesn’t feature Luís Torrens. So, please go forth and be interesting, guys! I have been trapped inside for the past three days with a smoke-induced headache, staring out at endless yellowish grayscapes, so a little bit of escapism would be most welcome.

Recent-ish News:

In a corresponding move to Crawford being activated, Donovan Walton was re-assigned to the alternate site, although he will still travel with the team as a member of the taxi squad.

Matt Magill had arthoscopic shoulder abridement surgery yesterday. He will not be back this season, but the team expects him to be ready for spring training.

ICYMI: Brandon Brennan is back! So is Erik Swanson, if you also missed that announcement. Hooray for a bolstered bullpen. In a corresponding move, Seth Frankoff has been optioned to the alternate site and Jimmy Yacabonis was DFA’d/sent to the Yacaboneyard.

Game info:

Game time: 6:45 PM

Available on: ROOT NW, 710 ESPN, MLB TV (out of area, not free game of the day)

Go: Mariners