Mariners: 3 takeaways from lost series versus the Oakland Athletics

2) Gonzales continues where he left off

There was a lot of relief and comfort in seeing Marco Gonzales back on the mound Tuesday night. He proceeded to justify these sentiments with a performance that almost belied the reality he had missed a month of action.

Gonzales was excellent, as he only allowed two hits, a walk and one earned run, while matching his season high of six strikeouts. The latter statistic was made even more impressive by the fact he only pitched four innings.

When combining how well the southpaw performed with the bullpen’s subsequent implosion, hindsight had some questioning why he didn’t pitch longer. However, this was never going to happen and rightly so.

In truth, Gonzales was only meant to pitch three innings. The main reason he returned for the fourth was because of how efficient he was, as he ended his outing with just 50 pitches.

The 29-year-old actually missed more time than originally projected with his left forearm strain. That the Mariners would continue to take a cautious approach with him after his return is the smart thing to do.

Seattle’s plan includes gradually building up Gonzales’ pitch count to help him get back into regular season form and increase his stamina. He referenced this after the game, when admitting he felt like he was starting a game at the back end of spring training.

The 2013 first round draft pick’s command was strong, as he generated 33 called strikes in his 50 pitches. The fastball and sinker were particularly crucial to his success, resulting in 20 called strikes on the night.

Gonzales only really made one mistake during his outing, resulting in a home run during the top of the second. This should not be seen as a criticism however, especially when considering he did not undergo a rehab assignment prior to Tuesday evening.

Regardless, the Mariners had built a seemingly healthy 4-1 lead when their staff ace was replaced in the top of the fifth inning. (No one could have foreseen such a dramatic failure by what has been a tremendous bullpen so far this season.)

Speaking to the media, Gonzales admitted he was confident but also nervous prior to his start. He said:

“I was anxious for sure. It’s tough watching and spending a few weeks on the [injured list].

“It can certainly give you some perspective. It was nice to get back out there and compete for sure.”

There had been concern about Gonzales following a rough end to spring training and after his first two games of the regular season, when he had a 10.45 ERA. However, his four starts since — albeit with a significant break during this period — has seen his ERA drop to 5.01.

Given the Fort Collins, Colorado native’s overall success as a regular starter in Seattle, his output such only continue to improve. As things stand, he is scheduled to start next Tuesday on the road in Detroit.

NEXT: CONTRASTING RESULTS FOR THESE TWO PLAYERS