The Mariners having offensive woes might not be new, but the solutions to those woes might have to be.
NEW YORK -- The Seattle Mariners having offensive woes might not be a new problem, but the solutions to that problem might have to be new.
Entering play on Wednesday, the M's have scored just five runs in their last five games, and if you want to go back even further, they've scored only nine runs in their last seven games and have been shutout twice.
They mustered only three hits in a 4-1 loss against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night as they fell to 56-64 on the campaign. It's been a dreadful season, with an even worse recent trajectory, for the reigning American League West champions, who entered the day at 4.5 games back in the division.
So, how do the Mariners fix it all? Well, if you listen to Cal Raleigh on Tuesday night, he spoke about sacrificing and taking what the game gives you. He talked about not trying to be homer-happy and being willing to do the little things.
On pregame Wednesday, manager Dan Wilson was asked about the evolution of pitching and how it makes things harder for an offense to snap out of a funk:
Q: Dan, in the past, you used to be able to get out of a dry spell by getting into a fastball count. Now, there's almost no such thing as an automatic fastball count given the way pitchers work backwards.
A: "Yeah, I mean, I think it's a good point. I think it's a fair point. I think as a hitter you always want to be on time for the fastball. So when you do get it, you can put that good swing on it. It's maybe harder to predict, but if you're always ready for it and on time, it doesn't matter when it comes, you're ready, ready to go. And yeah, pitching. I think the way teams approach hitters, it's a lot more about throwing your best pitches more often and a lot less about setting up hitters and pitching sort of old fashioned. And so it does make it sometimes more difficult to look for that heater. But if you're ready for it all the time, you're not going to miss it."
The Mariners will continue to try to work through their offensive woes on Wednesday night against the Yankees for Game 2 of a crucial series. Right-hander Will Warren is pitching for the Yankees against fellow righty Bryce Miller.
Other Mariners notes
--Right-hander Carlos Vargas, who hasn't pitched yet this season because of a lat issue, pitched a scoreless inning at Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday. He will make at least one more rehab appearance before coming back to the majors.
--Left-hander Gabe Speier, who was unavailable on Tuesday because of a back issue, is feeling better, but it's unclear if he'll be able to go on Wednesday.
--Josh Naylor, out on Tuesday with a right wrist issue, is back in the lineup and hitting sixth. The Mariners have switched up the lineup entirely. Julio Rodriguez is hitting fifth, with Naylor sixth, Brendan Donovan seventh and Cal Raleigh eighth.
Of note
The latest edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast is out, featuring ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney. You can listen to the episode here, or you can watch it in the YouTube player below:
