The A’s came into Seattle on Monday evening and used some late-game offense to take the first of this three-game set. Back in the win column, and back atop the AL West with sole possession of the division lead.
Seattle, WA
Seattle Mariners' new identity is resilient and relentless
At 28-20, winners of 11 of their last 13 series, and with a 3 1/2 game lead in the AL West, the Mariners have been good. Better than expected. Better than most of the teams in the American League. Better offensively than they’ve been in years. Better defensively than they appeared to be when the season began. Better in the bullpen than they were last year. Better depth than we knew.
Seattle Mariners off to MLB-best road start with sharp pitching, timely hitting
The stats tell that story. Your eyes tell that story. At least through the first 48 games, those statements are all but indisputable. And with just six games to go before we get to the one-third mark of the season, it’s probably fair to say that it is no longer “early” in the season.
I don’t know if the Mariners can keep up this pace. I’m not sure if anyone does. But I strongly believe they are succeeding because of two qualities that often describe teams that see high levels of success.
They are resilient. And they are relentless.
I might not be able to prove either of those statements, but the first one should be easy to see. At one point this week, the team was without eight members of its projected opening day 26-man roster. That includes three members of their starting rotation, always assumed to be the strength of the squad. Sixty percent of the rotation! Thirty-one percent of the roster!
None of it has slowed them down. The “next man up” mentality is alive and well in this clubhouse.
But their resilience has been on display in other ways. They are now 7-1 in deciding “rubber games” of series. They have won five series after dropping the first game. Only once have they lost as many as four games in a row, and they responded almost immediately by winning four straight, on the road, including three against the excellent Padres.
They aren’t phased by late-game deficits. In fact, they have 14 comeback wins this year (tied for second most in baseball behind only the Dodgers), including a few memorable ones against the A’s, Astros and White Sox.
And it’s funny, but a whole bunch of those comebacks have come from their other great quality: their relentlessness.
The Oxford Dictionary defines relentless as “oppressively constant; incessant,” and that’s how the Mariners must appear to opponents. We expected that would be true of their rotation. It would certainly seem oppressive to have to face any combination of their top five starters in a single series and deal with the incessant pounding of the strike zone with a steady diet of fastballs and nasty breaking balls.
There was a sense that the return of Matt Brash, the return to form of Gabe Speier and the continued emergence of Andrés Muñoz would give the late innings a similar feel.
But I’d be lying if I told you I expected a relentless offense. Yet, it has been exactly that, thanks both to the approach and the depth of the lineup.
On most nights, the Mariners can offer a lineup with seven or eight players with an OPS+ over 100 (which is league average). Yes, that’s insane. There’s Jorge Polanco (177), Cal Raleigh (168), Dylan Moore (149), Leo Rivas (139), J.P. Crawford (132), Randy Arozarena (129), Julio Rodríguez (111), and Rowdy Tellez (107). Ben Williamson, Miles Mastrobuoni and Leody Taveras are not at that level, but all three have battled with competitive at-bats and contributed directly to huge wins.
And that is the other way in which they have been relentless: they simply haven’t given away many at-bats. There is no precise way to define an at-bat that was given away, but you know it when you see it. It can be characterized by chasing lots of pitches outside the zone, popping up, or rolling over on ground balls early in the count. What had become an unfortunate hallmark of this offense for the last two seasons has (thankfully) disappeared.
They take down ace pitchers, having won games against Tarik Skubal, Hunter Brown, Garrett Crochet, Michael King, Nathan Eovaldi and Max Fried. They’ve hung around in games long enough to put pressure on relievers. And even on nights when they haven’t scored much, they have offered a sense of hope that runs are coming because they haven’t given up and continue to work hard.
The Mariners may not maintain their currently pace of 95 wins. But they are sure developing the characteristics of a team that can do that and more. If these personality traits continue to define them, there should be plenty of meaningful and fun baseball ahead.
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After months of build up, the Seattle Seahawks are less than 48 hours from being on the clock for their first pick of the NFL Draft, as long as they hold on to pick No. 32 in the first round.
Seahawks Draft: A mid-round edge rusher with elite length
While the offensive line has long been a need for the Seahawks in drafts, this year running back, edge rusher and cornerback are among their top positions of need.
Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard highlighted a pair of players who could help bolster the Seahawks’ edge group as he continued his draft profile series Tuesday during Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.
In this edition of Huard’s draft profiles, he looked at Michigan edge rushers Derrick Moore and Jaishawn Barham, who also played on the same team together in high school at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.
Huard pointed to the connection head coach Mike Macdonald, a former Michigan defensive coordinator, and many members of his coaching staff have to the Michigan program.
“They know these guys, they know them inside and out,” Huard said. “They typically like they’re Michigan men, and these are two physical guys that have all the attributes you’re looking for on the edge.”
The high-floor pick
Moore is coming off a decorated four-year career at Michigan where he piled up 24.5 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, eight passes defended and three forced fumbles in 53 games.
This past season, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Moore totaled 10.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors.
“I think this is a pretty fair quote about him: ‘Unselfish, well-rounded, high floor.’ Is he a high-ceiling guy? Not as much as Barham, but he’s a very high-floor guy,” Huard said.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Moore ranked as the No. 65 prospect in this years draft. ESPN has him ranked 60th.
“He is just your fierce, tough, edgy, productive (player),” Huard said. “He played in space a little bit more. They are field-boundary scheme at Michigan at times. He’s been more of the field rusher, more against your left tackle. And (he’s) just got more in the tool bag… He’s been a defensive end. He’s pretty well versed in it. He’s going to have a bigger tool bag, I think, than both Boye (Mafe) and Derrick Hall had, and he’s going to be a second, late-second-round (pick). Rugged, tough Michigan guy.”
The high-ceiling pick
Barham spent his first two college seasons at Maryland, which included earning Freshman All-American honors in 2022, and transferred to Michigan in 2024. He played linebacker at Maryland and in his first season at Michigan before making the move to edge for his final college season.
In 12 games at a new position in 2025, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Barham amassed 10 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks.
“Jaishawn Barham is a little bit more of a wild card, and one of the scouts that was quoted in some of the prep for this said he may bloom with the right coaching,” Huard said.
Huard recalled seeing Barham as a freshman at Maryland while he was doing color commentary for FOX and being in awe of how physically mature he already looked.
“I remember being on the field, as a freshman, looking at him going, ‘There’s just no way. There’s no way humanly possible that that guy played high school football the year before,’” Huard said.
Jeremiah has Barham ranked as the No. 77 prospect in the draft. ESPN has him ranked 88th.
“He is a higher ceiling guy you’re going to have to coach up,” Huard said. “He doesn’t come with years and years and years of experience on the edge.”
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Seattle, WA
West Seattle Tool Library to host annual tool sale this Saturday, April 25 | The White Center Blog
The West Seattle Tool Library will host its annual tool sale this Saturday, April 25, offering hundreds of tools at discounted prices during its largest fundraiser of the year.
The event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle (map below), according to organizers.
Shoppers can expect a wide selection of items, including power drills, saws, hand tools and gardening equipment. Proceeds from the sale will support the nonprofit’s mission to provide community access to tools and hands on learning opportunities.
“It’s a fun day for everyone and a great way to support a local resource that empowers neighbors with tools and learning opportunities,” said Dale Becker, president of the West Seattle Tool Library board of directors.
Becker added that the sale also offers “a great chance to pick up tools at excellent prices, perfect for those starting a collection or simply adding to one.”
This year’s sale coincides with the Cooper Artist Garage Sale, creating an opportunity for visitors to explore multiple community events in one day.
Organizers said donations of working tools are still being accepted during regular library hours to support the fundraiser. The workshop will be closed from April 22 through April 26, and the Wednesday Fix It Workshop will be canceled. The workshop is scheduled to reopen April 28.
For more info, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2059705868142923
About West Seattle Tool Library
The West Seattle Tool Library provides affordable access to a wide range of tools and educational resources, enabling community members to complete home, garden, and DIY projects while promoting sustainable reuse and a sense of community.
The West Seattle Tool Library is a local non-profit organization that provides affordable access to a wide range of tools and educational resources, enabling community members to complete home, garden, and DIY projects while promoting sustainable reuse and a sense of community.
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Ginn struggles early, settles in
On the mound tonight starting for the A’s was right-hander J.T. Ginn. He came into tonight on a mini roll, having put up two quality outings since getting inserted into the starting rotation.
Facing the Mariners for the very first time, Seattle greeted Ginn with two runs in the first, a solo homer off the bat of Cal Raleigh and an RBI double from first baseman Josh Naylor. They’d get Ginn for one more run in the second as well off another homer, this one coming courtesy of Dominic Canzone.
Those early-game struggles weren’t great, but Ginn was sent out for the third and finally had a shutdown inning, collecting three strikeouts in the third. The 26-year-old would go on to pitch all the way into the sixth without allowing another run and leaving with one out in the inning. He ended his night on a high note as well, getting Randy Arozarena to strike out swinging for his sixth K of the night.
- J.T. Ginn: 5 1/3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 2 HR, 92 pitches
Well it was a little dicey in the first two frames but Ginn did good to buckle himself down and provide his team with some extra innings. Mark Kotsay made a good call letting Ginn work his way back into this one, and his offense would pick him up later tonight.
Offense struggles early, comes on strong late
On the other side of the ball, the A’s lineup was facing M’s righty Emerson Hancock. For the first few innings the A’s did have much of an answer for the former top prospect, collecting just a pair of singles the first time through the order.
The second time through the order the A’s batters were able to start getting a better read on Hancock. Leading off the top of the fourth, tonight’s DH Carlos Cortes connected on a fastball high and in and drove it over the wall in right field to get the A’s on the board for the first time tonight:
That was #2 on the year for Cortes, who came through with a massive night while hitting in the #3 spot of the order. Mark Kotsay was right again tonight about batting him in such a big spot in the lineup.
The A’s were starting to make better contact but it took a couple more innings for the big ones to come. Now into the sixth and with the top of the lineup at the plate this was about as good an opportunity as the team could hope for. Well first baseman Nick Kurtz strode to the plate and connected on a fastball right down the middle for another solo shot to cut the lead to one:
The A’s didn’t have to wait long for that next run either. Shea Langeliers came up right behind Kurtz and blasted his own solo shot, swatting another hanging fastball down the pipe and depositing it over the wall in center:
Tie game. That was his 7th of the year. The A’s had Hancock’s number and the Mariners knew it. That third homer of the night chased Hancock from this contest. The Athletics kept up the pressure against the bullpen, loading the bases that very same frame but weren’t able to cash in and take the lead. And with Ginn soon departing as well, it was going to be down to the bullpens to determine who would win tonight.
Left-hander Hogan Harris relieved Ginn in the sixth and not only finished the frame but handled the seventh as well. It was a perfect outing for Harris; no hits, no walks, plus a pair of punchouts to boot. Tonight was his team-leading 13th appearance and he’s been everything the A’s could have hoped for in the early going.
Now into the eighth, the A’s finally broke through in a big way. A double, single, and walk loaded the bases with no outs and the team was cooking. Third baseman Max Muncy made sure to drive in at least one with a productive sac fly that gave the A’s their first lead of the night.
After that it was Lawrence Butler’s turn at the plate and he came through with the biggest hit of the game, a two-run single to push the A’s lead to three runs:
Now with a lead and some extra breathing room A’s fans could relax and enjoy the rest of the game. Or so we thought. The Mariners did not go down quietly in this one. Mark Leiter Jr. took over for the eighth and gave up a pair of hits with both reaching scoring position and just one out. He managed to pull a Houdini with a massive strikeout of Arozarena and a flyout to end the threat, but that was a close one.
Then it was Joel Kuhnel on for the ninth for his fourth save opportunity. The right-hander, who did not start the season with the big league club, got the first out but then a single and RBI double cut into the lead and woke us all back up. Now with the tying run at the plate Kuhnel needed to be nails. And he was, getting J.P. Crawford to pop out and Raleigh to fly out to end the game.
A’s win! A solid performance all around. The bats took some time to get going but they came through in a big way late. Three homers. Four players getting multiple hits. Carlos Cortes going 4-for-4. Then Ginn had some early struggles but did a good job of not letting it snowball and get out of hand. He really saved the bullpen by being able to pitch into the sixth. Speaking of the ‘pen, the three arms combined pitched nearly four innings, and while it got a little dicey at times they bent but didn’t break. Kuhnel is now 4-for-4 in save opportunities which leads the team. Do we finally have our closer? And who would have seen this coming?
We’re back in first place and we’ll have an opportunity to add to that lead tomorrow evening when these teams meet back up for the second game of the series. For the A’s they’ll send left-hander Jacob Lopez to the bump. It hasn’t been a smooth start to the season for the lefty and he’ll need to show more than he has up to this point if he wants to keep ahold of his spot in the rotation. Walks especially have been a major problem for him so far as he has 17 in 18 innings of work. Overall he’ll bring a 6.38 ERA into tomorrow’s contest.
As for Seattle, they’ll have veteran Luis Castillo getting the ball for them for the middle game. The 33-year-old right-hander has had a so-so start to his year. He had a disaster performance a couple starts ago, when he got shelled for seven runs. Before that he pitched six shutout innings in his first appearance, 3 2/3 with three runs allowed in his second, the blowup game, and most recently he tossed 5 1/3 with just one run allowed against the Padres. Hard to know which version of Castillo will show up tomorrow but the A’s will be ready. In his career against the Athletics he has a nice 3.02 ERA in nine starts, so we’ll be hoping to boost that number a bit tomorrow night.
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