9/21/21: Open Game Thread

Playoff hopes may be fading fast (any time you have to root for the Rangers and Mets is an uphill battle), but a win tonight would give the Mariners a winning season for the first time since 2018. It borders on trite at this point, but I think everyone here would have been pleasantly surprised if they had been told in March that Seattle would be on the cusp of clinching a winning record in mid-September. Tonight is also a big opportunity to once again catch the A’s in the division standings, and hopefully bury them out of Wild Card contention. After all, if we can’t get in, might as well take another rival down with us.

Oakland is running out the exact same lineup they did last night - their righty-heavy batting order for lefties. The Mariners, on the other hand, are running out something closer to their B-squad - Abraham Toro has been mired in a brutal 1-for-33 slump, so Dylan Moore will be covering at second to give him a breather. Tom Murphy is catching, as well, and I wonder if this means they’ll be pumping the brakes on Cal Raleigh a little bit in the last ten games or so. If that’s the case, sign me up for another quick shot at Luis Torrens: Catcher. The Jakes are flanking Kelenic in the outfield, and I’m happy to see Ty France stick in the second spot of the order. Paul Blackburn is by no means an overwhelming pitcher - despite him holding the M’s to just two runs over 5.2 innings when he last faced them on August 23rd, Seattle’s bats have been heating up the last few days, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see some early damage done. At least, I’m hoping that’s the case.

Game Time: 6:40pm PDT

TV: ROOT Sports NW, MLB.tv

Radio: 710 ESPN Seattle, MLB At Bat