Seattle, WA
3 things to know as Seattle Mariners face NL East-leading Phillies
There are probably few teams in MLB as happy to see the calendar flip to August as the Seattle Mariners.
The troubling trend developing for the Seattle Mariners
July spiraled into a bad month for the M’s. They fell out of first place in the American League West for the first time in over two months, lost 10 of their final 15 games following a 5-4 start, went 1-7 in one-run contests and lost two series to the lowly Los Angeles Angels, including being swept for the first time all season.
On top of it all, star center fielder Julio Rodríguez and shortstop J.P. Crawford went on the injured list.
However, the Mariners added reinforcements at the trade deadline and enter August in a virtual tie for first place in the AL West with the Houston Astros, and they get strong challenge right away. The Mariners open the month Friday with a three-game home series against the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies, who come in with the second-best record in MLB at 65-43.
Here’s three things to know as Seattle begins a two-month dash for the AL West title against one baseball’s top squads:
Baseball’s best top staffs square off
The Mariners and Phillies have been considered to be the best in baseball this season. The numbers back it up.
Both rotations rank in the top five in the league fWAR, ERA, FIP, opponents’ batting average, WHIP, walks per nine innings, home runs per nine innings, innings pitched and quality starts. Here’s where they stand:
• fWAR: 1. Phillies (12.7), 2. Mariners (11.9)
• ERA: 1. Mariners (3.30), 2. Phillies (3.31)
• OBA: 1. Mariners (.222), 2. Phillies (.227)
• FIP: 1. Mariners (3.54), 4. Phillies (3.63)
• BB/9: 1. Mariners (1.81), 5. Phillies (2.47)
• HR/9: 4. Phillies (0.98), 5. M’s (1.03)
• IP: 1. Mariners (640 2/3), 2. Phillies (626)
• QS: 1. Mariners (66), 2. Phillies (58)
• WHIP: 1. Mariners (1.04), 2. Phillies (1.12)
It would appear as if a pitching clinic is in line at T-Mobile Park this weekend, but neither team will seeing the best of the other’s rotation.
Philadelphia is dealing with multiple injuries. Former Mariner Taijuan Walker went on the IL with a right index finger strain in late June. Veteran right-hander Spencer Turnbull, who was moved to the bullpen in May due to Philadelphia’s wealth of starters, suffered a right lat strain in his first start after replacing Walker in the starting rotation. And All-Star left-hander Ranger Suárez recently went hit the IL with lower back soreness.
Former All-Star Aaron Nola and left-hander Cristopher Sánchez also aren’t scheduled to pitch for the Phillies.
The Mariners’ staff remains at full strength, but Luis Castillo and George Kirby won’t be taking the mound.
There’s still some good pitching matchups in store starting with Friday’s matchup between Bryan Woo (4-1, 2.35) and Tyler Phillips (3-0, 1.80). Phillips has made just three starts, but is coming off a four-hit shutout against Cleveland.
The marquee billing is Sunday’s series finale, as All-Stars Logan Gilbert (6-7, 3.11) and Zack Wheeler (10-5, 2.94) square off.
Seattle Mariners limping into August
The previously mentioned injuries to Rodríguez and Crawford are painful, but those aren’t the only health issues the Mariners are dealing with.
Breakout outfielder Víctor Robles left Tuesday’s game and didn’t play the following day with a lingering hip issue. Manager Scott Servais’ update after Wednesday’s game in Boston wasn’t very encouraging.
“I wish it was easy as just a couple days downs and it’ll going away,” Servais said. “I think this is something that he’s going to have to deal with here going forward. And then we’ll see. We’ll see how he feels.”
Robles has been red-hot since joining the team as a waiver pickup and currently helping fill the void in center field without Rodríguez. In 33 games with Seattle, Robles is slashing .360/.422/.520 eight extra-base hits and nine stolen base .
Seattle’s bullpen is also facing uncertainty after hard-throwing reliever Gregory Santos exited the game with a bicep issues. Santos was set to undergo an MRI when the team return to Seattle on Thursday. An update on Santos’ status will likely come Friday.
The good news is the Mariners are hopeful Rodríguez, who went on the IL with a high right ankle sprain on July 23, will return at some point during the homestand. Outfielder Dom Canzone also began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday.
The bad news is Crawford likely won’t return until September due to a fractured pinky.
Mirroring slide
The Mariners’ tough month of July was detailed a bit earlier. It also didn’t go much better for the Phillies. Philadelphia produced an identical 10-14 record, went 1-5 in one-run games and closed the month with a 3-9 stretch after the All-Star break.
The short-handed rotation played a factor in the Phillies’ struggles, with their starters falling to the middle pack in most categories and ranking 20th in ERA (4.64) in July after being near or at the top of the leaderboard all season. Phillies relievers also struggled with a 6.17 ERA and 19 home runs allowed over 84 2/3 innings.
In an effort to alleviate the bullpen problems, they acquired standout Angels closer Carlos Estévez and White Sox left-hander Tanner Banks at the trade deadline.
The Mariners could be catching the Phillies at the right time, but Philadelphia could say the same about the banged-up Mariners.
More on Seattle Mariners and the trade deadline
• How experts are grading Seattle Mariners trade deadline moves
• Mariners Trade Deadline Tracker: Keep up on every move
• Mariners’ Dipoto on top prospects staying put at deadline
• Drayer: Mariners navigated thin market for deadline adds
• A closer look at Mariners trade acquisition Justin Turner
Seattle, WA
Outreach groups respond to the reported relocation cycle of Ballard’s homeless population
SEATTLE — As people voice concerns about an encampment in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, outreach groups are detailing their efforts and fighting back against encampment removals.
The outreach group We Heart Seattle said it checks on the people in an encampment of at least 20 people weekly to offer water, snacks, personal hygiene items, and access to treatment.
RELATED | Ballard encampment grows after city removes nearby site along Burke-Gilman Trail
The group told KOMO it believes more can be done at the city level, from policy to housing, to get the homeless connected with shelter and services.
A woman working at the Fred Meyer off NW 45th Street and 9th Avenue captured video of a fire near tents at an encampment across the street. A day later, off camera, she told KOMO News she worries about the safety of the people living in the tents and Ballard neighbors, in addition to concerns about alleged open-air drug use at the encampment.
“We became homeless because of certain situations, and we turned to drugs, and unfortunately, addiction comes next, you know?” Crystal Rawlings told KOMO News. She has set up her tent on multiple streets in Ballard, and said she’s approaching one year of being opioid-free.
She believes there’s been more city outreach since the start of the new mayoral administration to connect people living on the streets with services, but knows there’s not enough transitional housing for everyone who needs or wants it.
She and the Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger urge the city to stop encampment removals that push this group to another block.
RELATED | City removes Ballard encampment as neighboring businesses raise housing concerns
“We’re not abominations. We’re not obstructions, and we’re not trash, so stop sweeping us,” Rawlings stated.
The city is still aiming to reach Mayor Katie Wilson’s goal of adding 1,000 new units of shelter in 2026 and recently opened a tiny home village in nearby Interbay, but fell short of the goal of 500 new units by June.
Andrea Suarez with We Heart Seattle estimates at least 20 people living on the street keep getting moved around Ballard, from behind the Albert Lee store to Leary Avenue to NW 45th Street behind the Fred Meyer.
“This encampment has people that’ve been homeless for more than five years. We know their names and faces. They’re still here. They’re still stuck in late-phase addiction, frankly because it’s permitted,” Suarez explained.
RELATED | Viral makeshift homeless shelter with chimney dismantled by Seattle city crews
She believes a camping ban on city sidewalks would help encourage more people to accept shelter, and help stop the cycle of moving people without
“It is an underserved community. I think it is unfair,” Suarez added. “We’ve tried to balance between enablement and really giving people a hand up, but without the teeth and backup for the work of outreach workers, it starts to feel futile, and that’s why we get burned out.”
The mayor’s office was working to send data about its homeless response in Ballard as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger estimates there have been nine Ballard-area encampment removals so far this year.
SEATTLE – Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington. Eastern and central Washington will reach near 100F with high fire danger. The coast and north interior will be cooler, only in the 60s to 70s.
Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington.
Fire Weather Watch
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds. Lightning strikes could create new fire starts and, with very dry conditions in place, any new fire could spread quickly.
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds.
What’s next:
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and a chance of thunderstorms. The heaviest showers will be in the morning hours and will turn more scattered into the evening hours.
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and chance of thunderstorms.
Looking Ahead:
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine. We will start to see highs reach the upper 80s to low 90s by early next week.
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine.
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After so many disappointing seasons with the interior offensive line, the Seattle Seahawks made a commitment last offseason to improve the unit. They started one big step at a time by drafting North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel in the first round, 18th overall pick, of the 2025 NFL Draft. This one was one of the last steps for the Seahawks to create one of the most productive offenses in the NFL.
Zabel wasn’t perfect in his rookie season, but he was good enough to validate the decision to draft him in the first round, and he showed improvement. Zabel is already a favorite among some Seahawks fans and some media outlets as they love his determination and spirit. It was a big jump from the FCS collegiate level to the NFL and this season, he has a chance to show why he might be a top-half-of-the-league guard.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Higher?
The Seahawks wanted a determined workhorse when looking for a guard. That’s exactly what they got in Zabel. Last season, he appeared in 1,051 snaps, which is only 10 fewer snaps than right tackle Abraham Lucas, who had the most offensive snaps. Zabel got better as the season progressed. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 81.5 and a run-block grade of 81.2 in Week 14 through the NFC Championship Game.
There were times last season when he looked like a monster against several defenders. He was pushing some defenders completely out of the way on pulling plays and even ran to defenders after the pass-catcher caught the ball. This is the mentality the Seahawks expect him to have going into his second season in the league. He has more experience and the complete trust of the team to be a franchise player on par with Lucas and left tackle Charles Cross. If he continues to improve, he will be another steal for the Seahawks.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Lower?
There were times last season when he didn’t quite catch up to the learning curve of the NFL. Zabel allowed two sacks, four hits and 24 pressures in 2025. The Seahawks expect those numbers to decrease significantly as he is experienced and capable of playing at an efficient level. While Zabel is impressive, he might not be the best player the Seahawks have selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. That honor belongs to slot cornerback Nick Emmanwori, who is stepping up to be the steal of the draft.
Zabel is easily one of the best second-year players and is one of the top offensive linemen, but there are players behind him because they haven’t proven to be consistently explosive for the Seahawks. There is going to be even more pressure on him this upcoming season. The Seahawks hired a more run-friendly coach in Brian Fleury as offensive coordinator. His ranking at the end of the season might be much better if he improves, or worse if he fails to reach expectations.
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