By Paul Taylor Posted on

Mariners clinch Orioles series as Dan Wilson reaches 150 wins

Bryan Woo pitches a gem, Josh Naylor was back in the lineup and Dan Wilson makes it 150 not out as Mariners manager in a 3-1 win.

We’ve written a lot about the amount of bad luck the Mariners have experienced this season, with a list of injuries which has reached the level of absurdity. Reading like a ‘who’s who’ of quality players, the bevvy of ailments has played a major role in keeping the team around the .500 level as we close in on the halfway point of the 2026 campaign. However, maybe — just maybe — their luck is finally taking a turn for the better.

First up, Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford both came off the Injured List for the start of this six-game homestand. Next, the Mariners advised they’re optimistic Julio Rodríguez will make a quick return to the lineup, after exiting Wednesday’s game with a left hamstring spasm. And finally on the injury front, Josh Naylor returned on Thursday, after missing two games with right wrist soreness.

Bryan Woo shows why he was the Mariners staff ace last year

Sure, the Mariners still have the likes of Brendan Donovan, Randy Arozarena and Matt Brash on the Injured List, but at least the situation isn’t quite as dire as before. In any event, the M’s finally took a series again after no joy in their previous three, winning Thursday’s rubber match 3-0. And at the heart of it all was a sterling effort by Bryan Woo, as he rebounded from two poor starts to show the form which made him the staff ace last season.

This one was personal too for Woo, with him allowing seven earned runs last time out, versus the Orioles in Baltimore. It couldn’t have gone more differently on this occasion, as he allowed just three hits and one walks over 7.0 scoreless innings. He also matched a season high with nine strikeouts, as he took just 89 pitches to get through his outing.

Woo did start the eighth, but couldn’t get an out so turned the reins over to Eduard Bazardo and then Andrés Muñoz, to complete the scoreless outing with one inning each. It was the fourth time this season the Mariners shut out an opponent, and doubled as the first time in 2026 the Orioles were held scoreless. Muñoz still looks shaky, as evidenced by allowing two walks, but that’s a subject for another day, with the main thing being that he got through the ninth without giving up any runs.

M’s young guns continue to play beyond their years

The Mariners didn’t do much on the day offensively with just five hits, but at least it was not necessary, with the pitchers blanking the Orioles. The home side did their damage early, with all three runs coming in the opening inning. And the scoring came courtesy of their two young guns, with Cole Young hitting an RBI-double followed by Colt Emerson recording a two-RBI single.

It really is remarkable just how special the duo have been, especially in light of so many injuries to key personnel. However, they have more than proved they belong, and should both be in the Mariners lineup for years to come. Young now has 30 RBI with RISP to lead all American League second baseman, while Emerson also recorded his first career stolen base in the first inning.

Almost lost in all of this, is that the 3-1 victory over the Orioles represented Dan Wilson’s 150th win as Mariners manager. It’s well known that he has his critics, but we’ve written before that the backlash has been too harsh and not even justified on a lot of occasions. In any event, his .551 winning percentage is the best in franchise history, while he’s one of only two M’s managers to win the AL West, along with the legendary Lou Piniella.

Dan Wilson marvels at the resilience of his players

Not that the 150-win milestone is top of the agenda for Wilson. Of course he’s proud of his accomplishments deep down, but his focus — as always — is on team success. Speaking to the media postgame about beating the Orioles, he said:

“Yeah, a really nice way to end the series. You know, we talked about it before the game today, about winning the series, and this was a good one to get. When you look at how we were able to get on top today, three two-out runs there was huge. I thought the at-bats were outstanding there. We talk a lot about getting to guys early. I thought we got the balls early, and that was a big key for us.”

Wilson was obviously happy with the team performance as a whole. However, he fully appreciated that Woo was key in getting the series-clinching win. Speaking about his pitcher, he said:

“When you turn it over to Bryan Woo and he’s got that kind of stuff, that’s all he needed today and he was particularly difficult. I thought just in control, I think we saw that look in his eye today, and he went out and just took control of the ball game.”

For all the injuries the Mariners have had, it’s remarkable they’re at the top of the AL West and only 1.5 games out of the second seed. This alludes to the tremendous mental fortitude of this team. Wilson said:

“No doubt. Yes we were banged up, no question. We’ve had some injuries over the last week, but it doesn’t do any good to focus on that. It’s focusing on winning the series today and we were able to do that. … That’s the team stepping up in a situation where we needed it to. That’s what the fight in there is all about. These guys understand the situation, and you can feel sorry for yourself because you had a lot of injuries, or you can go out and keep fighting, and that’s what these guys did.”

Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rogers Photography

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