Seattle, WA
Mariners week: Gilbert’s brilliance lifts Seattle to sweep | HeraldNet.com
Inside the friendly confines of T-Mobile Park, Seattle pitchers routinely shift into a new gear.
For starters and relievers alike, the numbers are undeniable. The Mariners have the best home ERA (2.60) and WHIP (0.940) in baseball, walk the fewest hitters (78), and own the most home wins in the American League (27).
It’s why Logan Gilbert’s brilliant, eight shutout innings on a sold-out Father’s Day was all the more foreseeable.
Gilbert was superb on a Sunday afternoon, allowing Seattle to celebrate a three-game sweep of the reigning World Series-champion Texas Rangers, the divisional foe that could have regained precious ground in the standings. Instead, the Mariners stomped them further down the ladder and extended a season-high lead in the AL West to 8 1/2 games.
Seattle’s towering, 6-foot-6 right-hander mixed five pitches to perfection, working ahead with painted fastballs paired with a standout slider that induced silly swings in the dust. Gilbert fanned nine without a walk for his Seattle-best 12th quality start, surrendering just two hits in eight frames with a depleted bullpen behind him.
Aided by Luke Raley’s fourth-inning RBI double, Tyler Locklear’s seventh-inning solo homer, and ample insurance in the final frames, Gilbert provided an early off-day for much of the bullpen and cruised to Sunday’s 5-0 win, improving the Mariners to a season-high 12 games over .500 (43-31).
“That was fantastic,” manager Scott Servais said. “(Logan was) in total control of the ballgame and had great stuff, of course, but the execution of the slider and split-finger was electric today.
“I hope everybody appreciates it as much as I do and our pitching coaches do, because that’s really hard to do.”
Seattle’s third series sweep this season was, undoubtedly, its biggest.
Since May 26, the Mariners are 16-5, the best record in baseball during that span. And they are 23-6 at T-Mobile Park since April 15, the best home mark in the American League.
It’s the largest division lead — and the first time the Mariners have won nine consecutive home series in a campaign — since their record-breaking 116-win season in 2001.
“To have a sweep, especially at home? It’s a good feeling,” Gilbert said. “When everybody’s doing their job, we’re definitely at our best, and that’s what it looked like today.”
And what a difference Julio Rodriguez could make if this extended hitting stretch continues. The J-Rod Show sparked Seattle’s 7-5 win in Saturday’s middle game with a third-inning, two-run smash to left center off Texas righty Nathan Eovaldi and, entering Sunday’s finale he had slashed .278/.350/.463 in the month of June.
Rodriguez’s bat continues to warm up with the weather, like it did in his rookie and sophomore seasons from 2022-23. The career .238 hitter between the months of March and April ignited those numbers to .316 in July and August across his first two campaigns — a promising sign Seattle’s franchise center fielder is again turning a pivotal corner.
“Julio is at his best when he’s playing free,” Servais said. “Not thinking too much. Just letting his abilities take over, and being super competitive, and that’s what we’re seeing right now.
“He is competing his tail off. That’s what it takes.”
The Mariners own a 78.8% chance to win the AL West, per FanGraphs, the highest chance to win a division among American League clubs. Seattle has an 86.2% chance to make the playoffs and a 6.1% chance to win the World Series.
Raleigh, fans shave heads at ‘Buhner Buzz’
The Mariners teased the question in the days leading up to the first Buhner Buzz Night since 2001 — which current player would make their surprise entrance and receive a shaved head from Jay Buhner himself?
Three decades after Seattle launched the “iconic promotion” featuring its famously bald right fielder, Buhner returned to Victory Hall next door to T-Mobile Park for the revival of Buhner Buzz Night. And it was only fitting that catcher Cal Raleigh was Thursday’s featured volunteer, just three days removed from demolishing a heroic, walk-off grand slam over the White Sox.
“They did a little (promotion) tonight — buzz cuts by Jay Buhner here at the yard,” Raleigh told MLB Network. “I volunteered to get the cut. It’s a little shorter than I thought it’d be, but (Jay) told me there were some hits in it… I said, I’ll do anything for a few knocks.”
Freshly-shaved fans (and those who arrived bald) received a free ticket and Buhner-themed shirt for Thursday night’s series finale with the White Sox, a 3-2 loss in extras. But it wasn’t before 620 fans snagged a free seat and 437 buzzed their heads.
“It’s a big deal around here,” Raleigh said. (Jay’s) a legend. Great player, great person. We should bring it back. It’s a really cool thing for the fans, the community around here.”
Rojas picking it at third
Third baseman Josh Rojas is quietly enjoying one of the sport’s better defensive campaigns at the position. He leads all qualified third baseman with nine outs above average, per Baseball Savant, the continuation of stellar Seattle defense at the ‘Hot Corner’ despite the offseason departure of Eugenio Suarez.
“I always want to be a utility guy,” Rojas said Saturday. “I want the manager to be able to feel like he can use me anywhere on defense.
“But right now, I’m a third baseman, and I feel pretty good over there.”
Consistent, pregame work from third base and guidance from infield coach Perry Hill rewards Rojas with some of the best defensive metrics in baseball — including seven prevented runs.
“I think he’s one of the best defensive third basemen in the league,” Servais said. “We’ve been spoiled here with outstanding defensive play at third base, but Josh is right up there with (Kyle) Seager and what we saw from Geno (Suarez) for a couple of years here. He has been fantastic.”
The Seattle Mariners have a new pitcher, and it’s one they’re quite familiar with.
Cal Raleigh has soreness in side, out of Mariners’ lineup again
Longtime former Los Angeles Angels left-hander José Suarez was claimed by the Mariners on Sunday off waivers from the Atlanta Braves. To make room on the 40-man roster, Seattle designated Triple-A outfielder Rhylan Thomas for assignment.
The Mariners (16-18 entering Sunday) and the MLB-leading Braves (24-10) are set to begin a three-game series at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park on Monday night.
The 28-year-old Suarez is in his eighth MLB season, the first six of which were with the Angels. Because of his long tenure playing for a Mariners AL West rival, Suarez has played against the Mariners (14 games, 10 starts, 59 1/3 innings) more than any other MLB team.
Braves star Acuña to 10-day IL, out for series vs. Mariners
Suarez had a 6.61 ERA in eight games (one start) and 16 1/3 innings for the Braves this season. He first joined the Braves last year.
The Braves designated Suarez for assignment on Friday.
The best seasons of Suarez’s career were in 2021 and 2022 with the Angels, both years in which he went 8-8 with an ERA below 4.00 and WHIP under 1.25.
The Mariners had to scramble to fill a spot in the bullpen this week when right-hander Matt Brash went on the injured list with right lat inflammation. They initially called up left-hander Josh Simpson from Triple-A Tacoma just before their game against Kansas City on Friday night, then replaced Simpson by calling up Nick Davila from Double-A Arkansas on Saturday.
Thomas, 26, made his MLB debut last season, appearing in three games for the Mariners. This year in Triple-A, he’s has a .260/.313/.328 slash line for a .641 OPS with two home runs in 31 games. Thomas was an 11th-round MLB Draft pick in 2022 out of USC by the New York Mets.
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Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh is day-to-day with “general soreness” after being pulled from the lineup before Saturday’s game, manager Dan Wilson told reporters after a 3-2 loss in 10 innings against the Kansas City Royals.
Wilson said Raleigh underwent imaging, though he did not specify what on, and the team will assess their star catcher’s status Sunday.
“We’re trying to be as cautious as possible,” Wilson said.
Raleigh was originally slated to start at catcher and bat second in the middle game of the three-game series, but he was scratched from the lineup about 90 minutes before first pitch.
Mitch Garver got the start in place of Raleigh and went 1 for 4 at the plate and struck out three times, including to lead off the 10th inning.
Saturday’s game was the first Raleigh has missed this season. He had started 32 of the previous 33, including 25 at catcher, and came in as a pinch-hitter in the only game he didn’t start.
Raleigh is batting .186 with a .652 OPS, seven homers and four doubles this season. He has hit five home runs in his past 10 games.
Raleigh finished as the American League MVP runner-up during a record-setting campaign in 2025. He led baseball with 60 home runs, setting single-season MLB records for most home runs by a catcher and switch-hitter, as well as the Mariners’ single-season homer mark. Raleigh also drove in an AL-best 125 RBIs while hitting .247 with a .948 OPS.
The Mariners added a third catcher to their 26-man roster shortly after Raleigh was scratched from the lineup. Jhonny Pereda was called up from Triple-A Tacoma and infielder Will Wilson was placed on the 10-day injured list with fractured left thumb.
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Reliever Nick Davila is making the jump from Double-A to the big leagues to join the Seattle Mariners.
The Mariners announced they selected Davila’s contract from Double-A Arkansas on Saturday.
Joel Sherman of MLB Network and The New York Post first reported the right-hander was being promoted to the major leagues earlier in the day.
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In a corresponding move, left-hander Josh Simpson was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
Davila filled the last open spot on the Mariners’ 40-man roster.
Davila, 27, has pitched in eight games with the Travelers this season, posting a 2.00 ERA and 0.78 WHIP with 10 strikeouts to one walk over nine innings of work. He’s held opponents to a .182 batting average.
Davila also pitched in seven games for the Mariners during spring training, compiling 6.75 ERA and six strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
Davila, who signed a minor league contract with the Mariners in March 2023, is in his fourth year in the organization. He pitched across three levels of the minors in 2023, including making three starts for Triple-A Tacoma, his only experience above Double-A during his pro career.
In 2024, the Hialeah, Fla., native pitched in 13 games with a 4.98 ERA over 18 2/3 innings for High-A Everett.
Last season, Davila appeared in 39 games at Double-A. He had a 3.55 ERA over 50 2/3 innings.
Davila went undrafted out of South Florida in 2020 before signing a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers a month after the draft. He made his pro debut the following season with Detroit’s Single-A affiliate.
Simpson, 28, was called up by the Mariners on Friday when right-hander Matt Brash was placed on the 15-day injured list with right lat inflammation. He has yet to pitch in a big league game this season.
In nine appearances with Tacoma prior to be called up, Simpson had a 0.96 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 12 strikeouts and six walks allowed over 9 1/3 innings.
Simpson pitched in 31 games as a rookie for the Miami Marlins last season, posting a 7.34 ERA over 30 2/3 innings.
The Mariners continue a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Saturday at 6:40 p.m. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle Sports app begins with the pregame show at 5:30 p.m.
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