Mariners close in on AL West summit after 7-2 win in Oakland

Luis Castillo has an outstanding start and Jarred Kelenic gets back in the scoring groove, as the Mariners secure the Athletics series.

Undoubtedly there will be people who say it’s only the Athletics who the Mariners defeated on Tuesday night. Along these lines, the hapless Oakland franchise is now just three losses away from equaling their most ever in a single season.

However, all you can do is beat the team in front of you, which is what the Mariners did with a 7-2 win. As a result, combined with the Astros loss, they are now just 0.5 games back of the AL West lead with 11 to play.

It should be noted the Mariners remain out of a playoff spot, by virtue of the Rangers having the better head-to-head season record. It seems all but certain the remaining seven games versus their divisional rival will make or break the season.

Castillo on point

Luis Castillo was excellent for the majority of his outing, allowing three hits and a trio of walks through six scoreless innings. It was only in his seventh and final inning the Athletics got to him, with a couple of runs.

However, the Mariners already had the comfort of a 6-0 lead by this point. The two runs ultimately proved to be no more than a consolation for the home side, as relievers Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo both pitched a scoreless inning to complete the win.

It was a special evening for Castillo, who had eight strikeouts and surpassed 200 for the second time in his nine-year Major League career. He also continues to lead the AL with fewest hits allowed per nine innings.

In addition, the three-time All-Star is on course for the best WHIP of his career, and is now just one win away from equaling his single-season high of 15. Perhaps most impressive of all though, has been his durability.

Living up to his nickname

There is a reason Castillo is referred to as ‘La Piedra’, which translates to ‘The Rock’ in English. No other Major League pitcher can match his record of going at least five innings in 31 starts this season. (The 31 starts also lead the AL.)

The 30-year-old explained what means the most to him of all his potential and achieved accomplishments. Speaking through his translator, he said:

“I mean, 200 innings just shows you how much a pitcher went out there and competed. So for me, that’s a little more important.”

In this respect, Castillo is on 188.1 innings with likely two starts to go in the regular season. His current high is 190.2 innings, which he achieved with the Reds in 2019.

Mariners manager Scott Servais spoke postgame about how much faith the team has in the righty. He said:

“The little things about players, the things that you can connect with them, are so valuable. That’s what it’s about. It’s about relationships, trusting guys. We trust ‘The Rock’ anytime, against anybody, in any situation.”

In addition, Servais marveled about how well the Mariners’ staff ace has pitched in 2023. He said:

“Wow, I can’t say enough about the season Luis Castillo has had. He just keeps adding on, (another) awesome outing tonight. He has been so solid. He is the rock. Every time out there he’s given us great effort, a chance to win and he’s on a great roll right now.”

As Castillo himself would undoubtedly admit though, you can’t do it all alone, no matter how well you’re pitching. For example, Cal Raleigh threw out runners on a couple of occasions, while they attempted to steal second base.

A return of the early season Kelenic

Another example of teamwork, was typical hustle from Jarred Kelenic. The outfielder sprinted through foul territory in the fourth inning, to grab an out which wouldn’t have been possible in the majority of other ballparks.

The effort really did personify what Kelenic is all about. He said:

“It was one of those off the bat where you thought it was foul, but I never gave up on it. I just kept on going and luckily I snagged it.”

The 24-year-old finally also had some luck at the plate, after previously going just 3-for-15 since returning from his foot injury. He got the Mariners offense going with a couple of RBI singles in the second and fourth respectively, for a 2-0 lead.

Servais was full of praise for what Kelenic displayed in his at-bats. He said:

“Jarred did an awesome job laying off pitches to get into those counts and then get the ball up. In those situations, he handles the ball up very well. He got some pitches up and just served them into left field, that’s all we need. We don’t need a big homer there. Just keep the line moving and pick up those guys in scoring position.”

Kelenic’s take was less analytical, to the point of almost sounding self-deprecating. He said:

“I was just trying to get the ball up in the zone and serve it into the outfield somewhere.”

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Mariners scoring a positive in general

J.P. Crawford also had a two-hit, two-RBI night. His double in the seventh made it 3-0, while his solo blast in the top of the ninth provided the final scoreline of 7-2.

The other runs came courtesy of a Raleigh RBI single, a Teoscar Hernández RBI double and a wild pitch. For all the Mariners’ offensive inconsistency this season, they are ranked 11th for scoring in the Majors as of Wednesday morning.

Even with the series in the bag, Servais both wants and needs more. He said:

“We need to sweep it tomorrow. We’ve got (to get) the series under our belt, because we have a lot of big games yet ahead of us.”

Wednesday afternoon’s finale will see George Kirby take the mound, for what will be an important outing. He’s been dealing with plenty of adversity as a result of recent comments he made, combined with recording a 6.00 ERA over his five previous starts.

At the risk of overlooking the series finale in Oakland, how many games do the Mariners need to take from the Rangers and Astros? What is you prediction for where they finish the season – AL West champions, a wild card team or missing out on the playoffs? Let us know in the comments section below.