The Mariners will try to wipe the slate clean today behind Emerson Hancock. He could use a great outing as much as the Mariners could use one from him. Since his first start in May, Hancock has looked less like a breakout star and more like a somewhat improved version of his old self. Over that time, his K%-BB% is down to just 12%, and he’s outrunning his peripherals on the back of a .200 BABIP. That’s all fine, and even that version of Hancock has more of a career in front of him than the guy who finished last season. But one hopes he can adjust back now that the league has clearly adjusted to him.

The Nats will counter with PJ Poulin, who will work as an opener in front of Miles Mikolas.

With Randy Arozarena still down with the hamstring issue and Julio Rodríguez getting a DH day, we’ll see an outfield of Luke Raley, Víctor Robles, and Dominic Canzone. It’s giving 2024. I wouldn’t read too much into Raley, Canzone, and Miles Mastrobouni getting starts against a lefty since Mikolas is expected to get the bulk today for Washington. Honestly, I’m surprised more teams aren’t trying a lefty opener against the Mariners.

Pretty standard lineup for the Nats except that Curtis Mead has the day off, and James Wood gets DH duty. On the seventh day, they rested.

First pitch: We got ourselves brunch baseball, baby. 10:35 PDT first pitch.
TV: Mariners TV
Radio: Old reliable

A grieving family is asking for help as investigators search for whoever killed a D.C. man and left him in an alley.

Dalonte Jackson, age 35, was brutally beaten in an apartment at The Paradise at Parkside complex. The attack took place on May 24, during Memorial Day weekend.

He was found in an alley off East Capitol Street — a seven minute drive from the apartments on Jay Street in Northeast D.C.

Jackson died five days after the attack. Family members are still hoping for an arrest.

“And then for them to take his body from this area to East Capitol Street and dump him like waste in the garbage?” said Jackson’s grandmother Sharon Jones. “But someone, an angel, appeared there and called 911.”

Relatives believe Jackson was lured to the apartment and never made it home. A disturbing text he sent to a friend before he was killed indicates he knew he was in trouble.

“And he texts them and he basically said, I don’t feel safe, and if something happens, I am with X, Y,” said Jackson’s aunt, Mottdricka Jackson.

After the beating, Jackson was hospitalized and was on life support for several days before he died. His death came just days after celebrating his 35th birthday.

An autopsy determined he died from multiple blunt force injuries.

“His skull was crashed, he was stabbed numerous times, his leg and his arm was broken,” Jones said. “Beat to death.”

Jackson’s family believes he was targeted, and was the victim of a hate crime because he was gay.

D.C. Police, in response to an inquiry from News4, said “There is no evidence to show this was a hate-bias incident.”

The investigation is ongoing. Police are offering $25,000 in reward money for help in solving the case.

“This is horrific to me, the way they killed him. He didn’t deserve that.”

Jackson donated his organs, saving the lives of four people.

Family and friends recently gathered near Jackson’s home at the Mayfair apartment complex to celebrate his life. They’re remembering him as a good person, a good cook, and a barista.

“He was known in Chinatown as “that coffee man,”” Jackson’s aunt said. “He worked for Starbucks and for Petes’, Capital One Arena, and for Starbucks at the Convention Center.”