Mariners: 3 takeaways from tense series win versus Reds

We break down the Seattle Mariners’ first road series win of the year, as the offense seems to have finally found some positive form.

Just like that, things are now looking better in the Pacific Northwest after the Seattle Mariners began the 2025 season with a disappointing 3-7 record. Since then they have bounced back with a much-needed series win over the Houston Astros and an impressive sweep versus the Texas Rangers.

Now, you can add a series win against the Cincinnati Reds, which came about thanks to a crazy rubber match of almost surreal proportions that was ultimately secured 11-7 in extra innings. Let’s take a look at three things in particular, which stood out during the three-game set at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati:

1) Unhappy reunion for Luis Castillo in Cincinnati

Last season was a tough one for Luis Castillo who, while he wasn’t bad, still had the poorest stats among the Mariners’ preferred starting rotation. He seemed to be back on track in 2025 however, with his 2.12 ERA through thee appearances best among all team starters and coming off an excellent outing where he pitched 5.0 shutout innings at home to the Astros.

There was plenty of anticipation on Tuesday evening in Cincinnati, with Castillo facing his former team for the first time since they traded him to Seattle in July 2022. And things seemed fine enough through 4.0 innings, with the Mariners and Reds tied at 2-2.

Unfortunately for Castillo, it all then fell apart spectacularly as he gave up four earned runs in the bottom of the fifth and only lasted one out. As a result, the Mariners gave up the 4-2 lead they had built in the top half of the inning and went on to ultimately lose 8-4.

The key at-bat of the fifth inning saw Castillo give up a three-run homer to Austin Hays, which gave the home side a 6-4 advantage. There are some who believe the righty should have already been removed after allowing two walks and an earned run, but it’s easy to say that with hindsight.

While Castillo would never make any excuses, there was no denying Hays’ home run was aided by the wind swirling around Great American Ball Park. Further, as noted by Adam Jude of The Seattle Times, the hit would not have been a homer in any other MLB ball park.

The three-time All-Star discussed this with the media postgame, including Jude. Speaking through interpreter Freddy Llanos, he said:

“I was talking to Julio (Rodríguez) at the end of the game, and if we were playing at our home that ball probably would have been an out. But that’s the way the game goes here. This is their ballpark. And all merit to them — today, the ball went out.”

Castillo finished his day allowing seven hits, four walks and six earned runs in what was easily his worst outing of the season to date, with him admitting he didn’t change his approach to account for the windy conditions and pitching in a small ball park. As a result, his reunion with the Reds proved to be an unpleasant experience.

2) Ben Williamson is an immediate hit

With uncertainty surrounding third base, the Mariners decided to take a slightly earlier than expected gamble on Ben Williamson. With the combination of his superior defense and surprisingly effective bat in Triple-A this year, he was called up and made his Major League debut in Tuesday’s series opener against the Reds.

Williamson right away proved himself by hitting a single in his first career at-bat, made more impressive by dealing with the pressure of coming to the plate with two outs and proceeding to fall behind 0-2 in the count. He subsequently scored his first Major League run, thanks to a RBI single by Dylan Moore.

Speaking to the media postgame, the 24-year-old admitted he was feeling a bit nervous ahead of his first at-bat, due to his parents, other family and some friends being in the stands for his Major League debut. He said:

“My arms were numb at the top step, but I got in the on-deck circle and kind of just started focusing on my breathing and locked back in. I just realized it was the same game I was playing all the way up through (the farm system).”

Williamson was also asked about his mindset during his at-bat, specifically whenever he fell behind in the count. He said:

“I’ve been refining my approach a lot with two strikes, trying to get the ball as deep as possible, and that just gave me a lot of confidence, knowing that even against the best arms I’m still able to have that approach, where I’m able to foul tough pitches off and try to see if I can get a good one to hit.”

Again, there is plenty of confidence about Williamson when it comes to his excellent defense, but the Mariners will also want to see some decent offense to justify keeping him around. In this respect he managed to also get a hit in both other games of the series in Cincinnati, resulting in his first career RBI and a second run respectively.

If the 2023 second round draft pick can keep that type of production going, he figures to get plenty of opportunities to play at third base. This would in turn take pressure off Jorge Polanco, who has had his struggles at the position and combined with ongoing knee soreness, might be better served seeing more time at DH and second base.

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3) Mariners offense has woken up

The Mariners offense was truly offensive for the majority of last year and it showed in the final statistical rankings. This included allowing the most strikeouts, having the second-worst team batting average, being 22nd in OPS and 21st in scoring.

However, hope sprang eternal due to how much the lineup improved after Dan Wilson took over as manager in late August. As a result of his approach, the Mariners ranked fourth in batting average during September, third in OPS and most importantly, also third in runs scored.

Unfortunately for everyone concerned, the lineup seemed to regress to begin this season. This was highlighted painfully by the 2-1 loss in 12 innings to the Astros, when the Mariners had 19 strikeouts and were an abysmal 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position.

However, from the depths of hell came the notion that the only way was up and it began the very next day. The Mariners somehow recovered from a 5-0 deficit in the bottom of the eighth mostly thanks to Randy Arozarena, won 7-6 and haven’t looked back since.

Consider that over the last week, the Mariners are ranked ninth in batting average, eighth in walks and second in OPS. As a result they are third in runs scored, helped by leading the Majors in steals (which they also do on the year as a whole).

Epitomzing this offensive explosion was the most recent game when the Mariners had 13 hits and a season-high 11 runs in the aforementioned 11-7 rubber match win. Seemingly done for at 7-5 down in the top of the ninth, Cal Raleigh and that man Arozarena both had solo bombs to take it into extra innings.

The M’s then finished the hosts off with four runs in the top of the 10th, before Andrés Muñoz came in for the bottom of the inning to close the deal. Discussing the game with the media afterwards, Wilson said:

“That’s a special group in there, no question about it. … Offensively, at-bats after at-bats, outstanding. And I think playing our brand of baseball, Cal coming up huge again, in the ninth inning and then Randy following that up. What else can you say? They just fought and fought and fought, and weren’t going to be denied today.”

What was your main takeaway from the series in Cincinnati, and what is your prediction for the Mariners’ three-game set in Toronto against the Blue Jays? Let us know in the comments section below.