Mariners: 3 takeaways from another disappointing series against Detroit

1) Sheffield struggles in milestone game

Heading into Thursday afternoon, there was reason for Justus Sheffield to feel optimistic. In his previous outing he recorded a season-high seven strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs in 5.2 innings, on the way to his fifth win of the year.

Thursday was also a significant game for Sheffield, as it marked the first time he had started 11 times in a season. Unfortunately for the Mariners, this proved to one of few highlights on the day for the pitcher.

The southpaw allowed six hits and five runs — including three earned — before exiting the game after just 4.0 innings. This marked his shortest outing of the season, as Seattle fell into a 5-2 hole from which they would not recover.

It’s worth noting that it wasn’t all Sheffield’s fault, with the defense making some crucial mistakes, particularly in the fourth inning. Ultimately though, it was a bad day at the office for him.

Even the positive aspects of the 25-year-old’s start were laced with negatives. For example, while Detroit’s batters went just 1-for-8 against his slider, the one hit was a home run.

In addition, 50 of Sheffield’s 87 pitches were called strikes, as he induced 14 swinging strikes. However, he recorded only nine first-strike pitches against the 22 batters he faced, while also generating just three strikeouts.

For the season, the 2014 first round draft pick now has a 4.91 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. While both are the second-best of his four-years in the Majors up to this point, they trail in comparison to his 3.58 ERA and 1.30 WHIP from the previous campaign.

What’s interesting about Sheffield’s season to date, is the disparity between his performances at home and away. Following Thursday, he now has a 1-4 record in six starts on the road, with a 6.10 ERA and .331 batting average by the opponents.

By comparison, the former New York Yankee is 4-1 at T-Mobile Park in five starts, with a 3.58 ERA and .243 batting average by opposing hitters. His talent is without doubt, but at this point it is at least equaled by the frustration surrounding his inconsistency.

After the game, Sheffield discussed his performances this season compared to last. Speaking to the media, he said:

“Last year, I feel like I was way more consistent. When I got on a roll, I stayed on a roll.

“This year, I feel like it’s been more of a roller-coaster season for me. It feels like I’ll have a good game and then I’ll have a tough game and then a good game and a tough game.

“So it’s about finding that consistency. It’s the big leagues and I know it’s gonna be tough at times, but I know that I’m fully capable of going out there, giving my all for my team and being a better pitcher than what I’ve shown so far.”

In this respect, you imagine the Mariners are working with Sheffield to get to the bottom of his inconsistency issues. Resolving this will prove crucial to his development into a long-term member of their rotation.

The Tullahoma, Tennessee native is scheduled to start next Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins. For what it’s worth, the game will take place in Seattle.

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