8/30/22: SEA at DET Open Game Thread

After a successful and refreshingly non-disappointing Ichiro Weekend (WIchiro?) where the Mariners came within a run of sweeping potential post-season foes the Guardians, the Mariners head out on a short road trip where they’ll see those same Guardians again, this time without the benefit of one hundred thousand plus screaming Mariner fans. But first, for the first time this season, the Detroit Tigers! In case you missed it, here’s a link to the series preview, which I recommend perusing because, well, not a lot of these names are probably familiar to you unless you love watching a lot of the AL Central.

As much as I would enjoy something called “Kerry Carbenter” batting sixth and playing left field for Detroit, it’s actually “Kerry Carpenter,” who was Detroit’s 19th-round pick in the 2019 draft out of Virginia Tech, go Hokies. Getting the start today for Detroit is Matt Manning, and I’m really bummed it doesn’t line up with Logan Gilbert opposing him, as we at LL (okay, me and John) always felt Manning got the flowers and prospect recognition that was more due to one Logan Gilbert. Hopefully George Kirby will take up the mantle and battle it out for Seattle’s prospect superiority on LoGi’s behalf.

You’ll note today’s lineup for the Mariners is...a little funky. Dylan Moore is headed to the IL with an oblique strain, as John told you about here, which puts the Mariners in some dire straits in the present/immediate future as J.P. Crawford remains out with a lat injury and Sam Haggerty, while still healing from his shoulder strain, also sustained a finger injury against Cleveland as he was attempting to sacrifice bunt in Friday’s extra-innings contest. Thus, we have Adam Frazier making his second-ever big-league start at shortstop, and a reminder that “too many infielders” is somehow still “not enough infielders.” Welcome back, Abraham Toro, here’s hoping that brief spate in Tacoma served you well.

Today’s game can be found on 710 Seattle Sports (radio), ROOT Sports NW (TV), and fuboTV/MLB TV (streaming). It starts at 4:10, because Midwest, but at least this time the Mariners won’t have to face the ridiculous howling monsoon/freezing temperatures they did the last time they visited the Midwest on the Road Trip We Do Not Speak About. A few early showers will have cleared out by game time, and the forecast in Detroit for the rest of the week is dry, with highs averaging around 80.

Edited to add:

I will be banging this drum a lot between now and the 17th but please go ahead and clear your schedule for Saturday, September 17th for an LL Watch Party at Growler Guys (8500 Lake City Way NE in Seattle) at 6 PM. Kelly, the owner, is a big Mariners fan and part of the Mariners Bar League, and is delighted to welcome us in to hoot and holler as the Mariners play the Angels. There will be a separate post going up about it soon but I’d love for this to be a success, and hopefully lead to more watch parties (maybe even....playoff watch parties?). If you could just let me know in the comments on that post, or here, or on Twitter, or via the LL email (LookoutLanding3.0 at gmail) if you’re interested in coming, that would help me know what size space to ask Kelly to reserve for us—there’s one that seats 30ish and one that seats more like 50ish, both in covered outdoor areas (which is good in these COVID times).