8/1/22: SEA at NYY Open Game Thread

In which we all remain nice and calm about the trade deadline

Hello on this first day of August and a busy one, at that. The trade deadline has finally started to pick up and we’re seeing movement all around, including the Mariners’ opponent for this series finally trading for Frankie Montas from the A’s, just like we knew they would. In exchange for Montas and reliever Lou Trivino, the Yankees sent a bundle of prospects that included their top pitching prospect lefty Ken Waldichuk, who the Mariners will now have to deal with in kelly green, but none of their “untouchable” top position player prospects, which is apparently what kept them out of a Castillo deal. It’s unlikely Montas will debut in pinstripes during this series as he’s still working his way back after missing time with non-structural shoulder inflammation, but Luis Castillo should make his Mariners debut tomorrow, and we even have a picture of him in Northwest Green!

But before that, we have a game today to contend with.

Lineups:

Not gonna lie, Marco pitching in Baby’s First Ballpark, East Division, does not feel great, although it does force the Yankees to run out a righty-heavy lineup against him, hopefully neutralizing that short porch advantahahaha okay I know, Aaron Judge is going to hit a baseball seven hundred feet, let’s all just mentally prepare for that to lead all the highlight reels tonight. Centering breaths. Facing the Yankees over these next couple series is just the agonizingly steep part at the top of the hill, just gotta bear down and get past it and then the terrain flattens out after that. I would be delighted, to be clear, if the Mariners could get to Domingo Germán, but Adam Frazier, leadoff hitter and Right Fielder in Yankee Stadium, is a tough start to this lineup, and things get rougher from there. I’m not sure if we’ll even be able to see Jarred Kelenic, batting eighth and playing center, under the clouds of Narrative emanating from New York’s huffiest sports writers.

News and notes from Scott Servais’s pre-game presser:

• The Mariners need to get back to “dominating the strike zone”—Servais didn’t sound thrilled with how the pitching staff attacked the strike zone against the Astros. Also, though, Yordan Álvarez.
• Ty France is “feeling a little bit better, getting a ton of treatment” on the inflammation in his wrist. He’s hopeful France could get back in this series, but thinks he should definitely be back by the home series this weekend, although he notes there’s “no bat in his hand.”
• The update on Julio during the injury rundown is worryingly brief: “feeling better, getting treatment, again no bat in his hand.” When pressed, Servais says he’s not aware if an MRI has taken place and ducks Drayer’s question to say “I know he’s on the IL and I’m more concerned about the guys who aren’t on the IL.” Well we are concerned about Julio, Scott! When pressed again by a different reporter, “I’m guessing he’s probably a week out.”
• Sam Haggerty’s stitches are starting to heal. Silly Swaggy Ham.
• Dylan Moore has returned to Seattle to seek further treatment on his back. Get well soon, DMo.
• On Jarred Kelenic: stresses the importance of him finding his pitch and doing damage on it rather than falling victim to a pitcher’s “kill pitch.” Notes the importance of him facing top-level MLB pitching where pitchers are consistently able to execute their plans.
• When asked about how Brennan Bernardino performed in a tough spot, Servais had nothing but praise, and noted that he’d still be with the team if not for the thirteen-pitcher limit, again calling it “the worst rule in Major League Baseball.” Tell us how you really feel, Scott.

In other news:

The Mariners traded former bullpen stalwart LHP Anthony Misiewicz to the Royals for cash considerations. Fare thee well, Tony Sandwiches.

The Mariners also claimed OF Travis Jankowski on waivers from the Mets. Jankowski is a very poor hitter—he has 9 hits this season in 63 PAs, none of them for extra bases—but he’s a true center fielder and extremely fast, so he’ll be a good complement to Jarred Kelenic, who is neither of those things, especially while the Mariners’ best baserunners Haggerty and DMo are sidelined. To make space for Jankowski, the Mariners DFA’d LHP Danny Young, who will hopefully clear waivers. Also, OF Marcus Wilson cleared waivers and will remain with Triple-A Tacoma.

Game information:

Start time: 4:05 PT, curse you east coast time zone

Radio: 710 Seattle Sports, Mariners dot com

Television: ROOT Sports NW

Suggested form of consumption: at the gym, watching the game on mute while running on a treadmill set at a brisk but not all-consuming pace, with one hand refreshing Twitter.