Seattle, WA
Walk-off HR a 'huge relief' for Seattle Mariners DH Mitch Garver
The start to Mitch Garver’s tenure with the Seattle Mariners has been frustrating for the right-handed slugger.
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Through his first 24 games, Garver is slashing a meager .143/.256/.273 with three home runs and seven RBIs. Not exactly what Garver or the Mariners envisioned when he signed a two-year, $24 million deal in the offseason to become the team’s primary designed hitter, a position the Mariners have mightily struggled at since the departure of Nelson Cruz after the 2018 season.
With one swing of the bat – and an 80-grade bat flip that followed – Garver appeared to let some of that frustration go, belting a walk-off two-run home run against the Atlanta Braves on Monday night. Just how good did that moment feel for Garver? He joined Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Tuesday for a conversation about that and more.
We’re sleeping good tonight 😌 pic.twitter.com/Lc0bk4ID0t
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 30, 2024
“It felt good to have that moment,” Garver said. “I had a few home runs before this, I’ve been collecting a few knocks here and there, but to have that moment where I could lift the team up and prove to help us win a ball game was a huge relief for me. And it was just that moment where I could take a deep breath and be like, ‘all right, I’m a Mariner. Let’s let this thing ride out.’”
Garver came to Seattle with a track record of hitting at a high level. He mashed 31 home runs in just 93 games in 2019 with an OPS of .995 and an OPS+ of 157, both career bests on his way to winning the Silver Slugger at designated hitter, which he split with Cruz. He also posted an OPS of .870 or higher during the 2021 and 2023 seasons. So hitting has never been a big issue during his career. Like other offseason additions Jorge Polanco and Luke Raley, it just hasn’t been a quick start at the plate for Garver in a Mariners uniform.
“There’s always this desire to try to prove why the Mariners acquired you,” Garver said of joining a new team. “You want to make the fanbase happy, you want to make the team happy, you want to do as much as you can for your teammates and coaches and clubhouse staff, and you always want to make a great impression. I think trying to do more than just who you are as a baseball player is a little detrimental at times.”
Garver said the key to getting past that is trying to “reel it back” and remember there’s a reason a team put in the effort to acquire you. Does Garver think Monday’s clutch home run is going to be what gets his bat back to normal? It’s not that simple.
“This game is such a process,” he said. “Some days you have it, some days you don’t. You could go out and get three, four hits and you can go (hitless) the next day. It’s such a brutal game and it keeps you humble. I’d like to say that things are going to start clicking here and I’ll continue to hit the ball hard and maybe I’ll find a few holes and that average will start ticking up a little bit. But at the end of the day, we’re playing winning baseball right now.”
Speaking of winning baseball, the Mariners entered Tuesday sitting atop the AL West at 16-13 with one-game lead over Garver’s former team. The veteran DH thinks the team is just beginning to tap in to its potential.
“We’re in first place and we haven’t even peaked yet,” Garver said. “The pitching staff has been holding us together, but the offense is going to turn around. We’re going to score some runs, we’re going to strike out less, but there’s going to be some ebbs and flows throughout the season. I think we’re in a pretty good spot if our heads are above water right now and we’re not hitting like we know how.”
Tune in to Wyman and Bob weekdays from 2-6 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Mitch Garver’s walkoff homer lifts Mariners over Braves 2-1
• In return to Seattle, Braves’ Kelenic says he’s learned from past struggles
• Drayer: Why Mariners are sending Jonatan Clase back to Triple-A
• AL West Check-In: Angels star Mike Trout to have knee surgery
• AL West Check-In: Astros sending down former MVP José Abreu
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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The Source: Information in this story came from the FOX 13 Seattle Weather Team and the National Weather Service.
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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SEATTLE – High pressure continues early this week, leading to more sunshine and warmer afternoon temperatures. Skies will be sunny, warm and dry through the middle of the week.
High pressure continues early this week, leading to more sunshine and warmer afternoon temperatures.
What’s next:
Highs today in the low to mid 80s for parts of western Washington, with highs in central and eastern Washington getting close to 100 degrees. The coast and northern interior will remain in the 70s with mostly sunny skies.
Highs today in the low to mid 80s for parts of western Washington.
Fire Risk Levels
The Fire Risk Levels this week will continue to elevate as we see warming temperatures and increased chance of thunderstorms. East of the cascades is already dry and warm, so the increased chance of new fire starts will be something to watch with the storms.
The Fire Risk Levels this week will continue to elevate as we see warming temperatures and increased chance of thunderstorms. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Looking Ahead:
Temperatures will continue to warm for western Washington through midweek, before we see another low pressure system swing inland Thursday. This low will increase changes of showers and isolated thunderstorms on Thursday, and temperatures will be back to normal for this time of year. This cool down is short-lived as high pressure builds again and highs warm back up into the 80s by the weekend.
Temperatures will continue to warm for western Washington through midweek, before we see another low pressure system swing in Thursday.
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To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
The Source: Information in this story came from the FOX 13 Seattle Weather Team and the National Weather Service.
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