Mariners stay in the Wild Card hunt
I don’t know if it was wise to throw this game away in the name of “rest” with the start of the WC series six days away. I hope it doesn’t bite us in the ass.
And throw the game away they did. With the four Astros All Star players resting, Shae Whitcomb, subbing for Alex Bregman, committed four errors, and missed other easy chances. As a team the Astros made five errors.
Whitcomb’s first error cost Yusei Kikuchi his scoreless outing, giving the Mariner’s a two to one lead. Yusei lost his first game as an Astro without allowing an earned run. He was the sixth Japanese pitcher to get to 200 strikeouts in a season.
Whitcomb’s following miscues cost low-leverage relievers Shawn Dubin, Caleb Ferguson, and Hector Neris most of the remaining runs in the Mariners’ 8-1 win.
With a lineup worthy of the historic 2024 White Sox, the Astros were lucky to score even the one run they got.
All I can say is, if the Astros lose the WC series to the Mariners’ murders’ row of starting pitchers, giving the Mariners this lifeline to the playoffs will be to blame.
Was Joe Espada really worried that with a day off tomorrow and three easy weekend games before the WC series next Tuesday the Astros needed this day off? Or was he afraid to show the Mariners grudging respect by playing to keep them from being the Astros’ opponent in the series? Neither are good reasons if you ask me.
If the Mariners go into the playoffs with their league-best starting pitching staff and their bats hitting the way they have for the last two weeks they could be the perennial Cinderella team of destiny that could go all the way.
I mean it. The team we saw this week can beat the Astros in a three game series. They just did, handily.
Go KC. Go Detroit. Go Minnesota. Keep your lead over Seattle.
The Astros should not have been so complacent today.