6/4/21: SEA at LAA open game thread

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but stop what you’re doing and clean the device on which you’re reading this. Get some compressed air, a microfiber cloth, whatever (mine was truly filthy so I used a microfiber cloth, wet and well wrung-out, along with some glasses-cleaning wipes for the screen and alcohol pads for the truly disgusting parts of the keyboard), take the protective case off if you have one and just really get in there. I’ll wait.

Ahhh, isn’t that better? I feel like I have a whole new computer. Sometimes a fresh start is all you need. Last night’s game was, as Isabelle noted, a very pleasant palate-cleanser after a meh series against the A’s. Let’s hope the team can keep the good vibes flowing tonight. Now to take a big sip of water and look at the starting pitching matchup for tonight...

Ah. Well. Perhaps I should have waited to clean my computer.

So this game will be, probably, not good, as even Justin Dunn would have had a tough time looking like the better starter tonight, no offense to Robert Dugger and his objectively very good curveball. At least Dunn is only expected to miss one start, although I admit it was worrying to hear him say on the broadcast last night that his shoulder didn’t “bounce back like normal” after his last outing, so chalk me up as Still Concerned. In other injury news, both Dylan Moore and Evan White are in Tacoma taking BP, although not playing in tonight’s game.

Also we have some news-news: the Mariners bought a pitcher today out of the Rays’ minor-league system: RHP Yacksel Ríos, who is 27 years old and was born in Puerto Rico. He was drafted by the Phillies in the 12th round of the 2011 draft and spent most of his developmental time with that organization, making his MLB debut in 2017. Ríos had a June 1 opt-out date in his minor-league contract with Tampa Bay, so this is probably a case of the Rays not being able to find a spot for him in their big-league bullpen and so sharing their pitcher bounty with their best friends, the Mariners. Ríos isn’t currently on the Mariners 40-man, but there are open spots, and he’s been solid this year with the Durham Bulls, with a 2.32 FIP and a 35% K-rate (against a 4% walk rate). Ríos has a fastball that averages just shy of 95 mph and can touch 96-97 with riding armside movement. His primary secondary pitch in the bigs was a curveball, but with Durham he seemed to be using an 84-85 mph slider more as his secondary, although he didn’t have to use a lot of his secondaries while mowing down Triple-A batters in Durham with that heat.

Tonight’s game starts at 6:38 PT, because everything about the Angels is as annoying as possible, and can be seen and heard on all the usual bat-channels: 710 ESPN, ROOT NW, and MLB TV if you’re out of area.