You may remember June 28 as the date of the melee between the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels that resulted in multiple suspensions and ejections.
That was about two weeks ago.
Since that day, the Mariners have played some of the best baseball we have seen them play in a while.
“Mariners went 10-1 during the player suspensions,” Mariners reporter Ryan Divish wrote via Twitter.
Mariners went 10-1 during the player suspensions
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) July 13, 2022
Outfielder Jesse Winker received a seven-game ban, shortstop J.P. Crawford got a five-game ban, and Julio Rodriguez a two-game suspension.
Those are all excellent players, especially Rodriguez, but the Mariners as a whole have finally stepped up and played like a team that wants to make the playoffs.
The Mariners Are Red-Hot
They are 17-3 in their last 20 games, and they are currently working on a nine-game winning streak.
Evidently, things are going smoothly in the state of Washington.
Recent acquisition Carlos Santana is playing admirably (.282/.404/.538), Rodriguez is a leading Rookie of the Year candidate with his 15 homers and 21 steals, Winker had been starting to swing the bat better before his suspension, and the pitching is settling in.
Robbie Ray (3.51 ERA) seems to be finding his footing after a string of mediocre early-season starts, and Logan Gilbert has been excellent, with a 2.80 ERA.
Chris Flexen, George Kirby, and Marco Gonzales have also been helping.
While it’s true they haven’t gotten much production from the Mitch Haniger, Jarred Kelenic, and Abraham Toro trio this year for several reasons ranging from injuries to underperformance, the prospect of seeing them contribute more in the second half is also exciting for fans.
All things considered, the arrow is finally pointing up for the 46-42 Mariners.
NEXT: The Mariners Are Doing Things Not Seen For Decades