Mariners Game #45 Preview, 5/20/23: Seattle at Atlanta

So yesterday’s tilt was pretty fun until it wasn’t! Thankfully, the M’s have another solid pitcher in Logan Gilbert taking the mound in the second game of this three-game set in Cobb County, and if they can even the series tonight, that would do wonders for the vibes.

Lineups:

Seattle’s lineup is markedly similar to yesterday’s, with the exception of Tom Murphy behind the plate, Taylor Trammell patrolling left, and Teoscar Hernández slotting in at DH. José Caballero is once again manning the keystone as his transition into more regular playing time continues.

After some speculation as to which pitcher Atlanta would be starting, it turns out the answer is Jesse Chavez, who’s still getting the job done at age 39 and in his sixteenth big league season. Given that Chavez has been mostly a pure reliever the last couple of years, it would be wise to anticipate a bullpen day for Atlanta, whose collective 3.65 FIP ranks fifth in MLB. It’s no Spencer Strider as some feared, but a strong bullpen is certainly no slouch of an opponent to face.

Game Info:

First pitch is slated for 4:15pm PDT, and will be broadcast on FOX. White Sox play-by-play broadcaster Jason Benetti and longtime former catcher A.J. Pierzynski - who finished out his career with Atlanta in 2014-16 - will be on the call. You can also catch the game on the radio on its usual home of 710 Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Dave Sims broadcasting.

Also keep in mind that we are having a community gathering at Growler Guys to catch the game today! You can learn more about the space in Kate and Eric’s post here, and we hope to see you there!

Today in Mariners history:

2018: Jean Segura walks it off in the eleventh inning with a single to score Dee Strange-Gordon against Detroit to seal a 3-2 victory. Seattle’s bullpen fired 6.2 scoreless innings after Wade LeBlanc turned in 5.1 innings of two-run ball.

2010: Ken Griffey, Jr. comes off the bench to deliver a pinch-hit, walkoff single against Toronto, capping off a three-run rally in the ninth inning. This knock proved to be The Kid’s final base hit of his career.

1994: The M’s bash five homers and half a dozen doubles en route to a 19-2 shellacking of Texas. Ken Griffey, Jr., Reggie Jefferson, Edgar Martínez, Tino Martínez, and Torey Lovullo all went deep.