The Mariners will be looking to salvage their series against the Red Sox while having better success against the visitors' lefties.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners will be looking to salvage a series and secure a .500 mark in a six-game homestand in the third of a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at 1:10 p.m. PT on Sunday at T-Mobile Park.
A large part of the Seattle's offensive misgivings has fallen in line with a pattern of struggle this season against left-handed pitching.
Boston sent out two left-handed starting pitchers in the first two games of the series: Ranger Suarez in game one and Connelly Early in game two.
The Red Sox will have a third southpaw, Payton Tolle, on the mound to start the series finale.
This season, the Mariners have hit .207 against left-handed pitching and have hit 41 of their 202 extra-base hits against southpaws, per FanGraphs. Seattle has brought in 74 out of its 314 RBIs against lefties.
"It's a long season, we know that," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Sunday. "And (we're) not creating a panic where guys go out there and try to do too much. I think this is a difficult game in that sense. I think our guys have been through it, I think that's helpful. We've been through streaks, we've been through ups-and-downs, we've gone through this period of guys getting banged up. We're getting to the end of that, now it's just a matter of finding our consistency and getting us going. The idea is that starts today."
A large part of the team's disappointing showings against Boston has been the struggles of outfielder/designated hitter Rob Refsnyder.
The veteran slugger signed a one-year, $6.25 million deal with the Mariners this offseason with the reputation as one of the best hitters against left-handed pitching in the majors. He had a wRC+ (weight runs created-plus) of 159 against lefties last season with the Red Sox. He hit .302 against southpaws with nine doubles, seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 57 games against southpaws.
This season, Refsnyder is hitting .139 with three homers and nine RBIs in 45 games against lefties and has a wRC+ of 38.
"We talk about the process a lot and (Refsnyder's) process has been good," Wilson said. "He's getting good pitches to hit, he's putting the barrel to it. He's hit some balls at people and hit the ball on the ground a little bit. He's close. And I think he's had some big hits for us throughout even though he's had a little tougher time. ... Potential's always there.
" ... When you go through things like this, you try a lot of different things. You're looking to make adjustments here and there and sometimes those work and sometimes they don't. It's just a matter of trial and error, trying to find the right thing. There's no question Ref is doing everything he can to find that. It's coming soon."
Refnsyder is 0-for-7 with a strikeout and was hit by a pitch in the first two games of the series against Boston.
The Mariners entered Sunday with a .500 record (39-39) and with a half-game lead for first place in the American League West.
If Seattle's unable to turn a corner soon with its numbers against southpaws, then there could be a push to find the answers elsewhere within the organization or via the trade market.
Other notes
-- Shortstop Colt Emerson was not in the starting lineup for the series finale Sunday. Wilson said the move was to give the rookie infielder a day of rest. Veteran J.P. Crawford will be moving back from third base to shortstop for the game and Weston Wilson will man the hot corner.
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