After failing to make the playoffs, the Seattle Mariners have many unanswered questions. The offense is lost at sea, providing practically no run support all season. The only reason they were in contention at all is the pitching.
The Mariners as a team lead the league in ERA with a 3.49.
Along with the starters, the bullpen has been great when healthy. All-star closer Andres Muñoz stands out the most, who has been stellar this year with a 2.10 ERA, 71 strikeouts and 21 Saves.
Between everybody on this pitching staff, few teams have been able to score runs on the M’s this year.
But the team has only managed to crawl to a barely above-average record, further pointing to the dreadfulness of the offense.
Mariners fans have seen it too much: one of Seattle’s starters gives up just two or three runs on a bad day, and the atrocious offense still loses the game.
Majority owner John Stanton should have stepped down last season. Sure, former manager Scott Servais needed to be fired, but current manager Dan Wilson hasn’t been doing better. Yes, the team made moves at the trade deadline, but all of those additions, with the exception of Randy Arozarena, have been subpar.
The only bright spots in this abyss of offensive mediocrity have been Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh.
Raleigh accomplished his third consecutive 30-home run season, and he is the best catcher in baseball, boasting a fielding run value in the 98th percentile.
Rodríguez is far and away the best contact hitter on the team. He led the club with a .273 batting average. He also continued his Gold Glove-caliber defense, with a fielding run value that lies in the 89th percentile. His arm strength and range are also fantastic, in the 91st and 94th percentile, respectively.
The offense finished in the bottom five in the MLB batting average and hits, which speaks to the magnificence of the pitching staff. The M’s end at 85-77, one game back from the Tigers in the AL Wild Card race. The team’s Director of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto needs to steer the offensive boat the right direction this offseason before its few talented sailors jump ship.
