Mariners keep on winning despite concern of growing injury list

The Mariners beat the Angels 5-3 on Tuesday night thanks to the continued excellence of Jorge Polanco, but the injuries just keep on coming.

The Seattle Mariners are the hottest team in the American League right now, which is really saying something given they started the 2025 season with a 3-7 record. (You need to give it to the New York Mets as the best team in the majors overall.) They continued in this vein on Tuesday night with a 5-3 win versus the Los Angeles Angels, which means they’ve now won 14 of their past 19 games and have a chance at a seventh consecutive series win on Wednesday afternoon.

At the heart of the latest win was Jorge Polanco who is, quite frankly, having a ridiculous season so far. Brought back on a lesser deal he’s been nothing short of sensational, hitting much better than anyone could have envisioned, even the Mariners’ front office.

Polanco accounted for all five of the Mariners’ runs on Tuesday night in a 5-3 win, to tie his career-high of five RBI. He had the eighth career multi-homer game and his second in the past three games, to only emphasis how much he deserved his AL Player of the Week award on Monday.

Jorge Polanco in a zone

The 2019 All-Star is in a zone like he’s never experienced before, thanks to the combination of offseason surgery on his knee and the influence of Edgar Martínez. As per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com, he said:

“It’s been a really good stretch, really fun. I think this is the best I’ve felt.”

As much as Polanco was the nucleus of Tuesday night’s win he did get some help, with Julio Rodríguez producing two much-needed hits. Andrés Muñoz continued his own remarkable start to the season, making it 11-for-11 in save opportunities and now yet to allow a single run in 15 appearances.

Bryce Miller also pitched 5.0 shutout innings in which he allowed just two hits and stuck out six batters. However, he did also have a season-high five walks, which alludes to his on-going issues with a sore back.

Miller admitted afterwards that his back locked up during pregame and never felt right during his outing. While it’s extremely impressive what he achieved and how he toughed it out, this does bring to the forefront the Mariners’ concerns regarding their rotation.

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Injuries galore for the Mariners

George Kirby has yet to pitch this season, while Logan Gilbert was recently sent to the Injured List and is projected to not return until June. As much as Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans have filled in well, losing another member of their fab five would be tough for the Mariners to contend with.

The bullpen has similarly been impacted, with Matt Brash and Jackson Kowar also yet to pitch this year, while Gregory Santos has now been sent to the 60-day Injured List. Not that the injuries are limited to the pitching staff, with Victor Robles out until July at the earliest and Ryan Bliss likely gone for the season.

In respect of the saying that when it rains it pours, Dylan Moore was placed on the 10-day Injured List retroactive to April 26, while Luke Raley tweaked his side/back during Tuesday’s batting practice and had to get imaging done. As a result Samad Taylor was called up, while Rhylan Thomas has travelled to Seattle as a back-up option pending the outcome of Raley’s imaging.

Give Dan Wilson his due

With all this in mind, it’s remarkable just how well the Mariners are playing right now, particularly offensively. No matter how much critics question the importance of a manager, Dan Wilson’s influence is undeniable and he deserves a lot of credit.

At least the Mariners will have another valuable day off on Thursday after they complete their two-game series versus the Angels. They then head out for a key six-game road trip, which sees them face divisional rivals the Rangers and Athletics.

One of the most important seasons in Mariners history has so far been an almost surreal experience, filled with plenty of adversity. Their mental fortitude and team-first mindset is beyond reproach, but at some point they need to catch a break on the injury front, in order to assist their chase for a playoff spot, division title and potentially more.

Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rodgers Photography

Where is your confidence level at with the Mariners right now? Do you predict they will continue to find ways to win consistently, or do you fear the injuries are eventually going to take their toll? Let us know in the comments section below.