Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - MARINERS POSTCAST: Seattle Mariners GET BATS GOING in win vs Chicago White Sox

Starting point is 00:00:01 Oh, so that's what a good offensive game looks like. Wow, an offensive explosion from your Seattle Mariners. Let's talk about it on the Mariners Postcast. This is the Mariners Postcast. Your instant game reaction for the Seattle Mariners. Part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Mariners Postcast. Anderson Hurst here with you on Locked-on Mariners.

Starting point is 00:00:36 Mariners win this one 12 to 8 over the Chicago White Sox, a season high, 12 runs from the Mariners in the middle of the order did their job today. You get seven RBIs from Luke Rayleigh, three from Josh Naylor, one from Julio and one from Cole Young. Julio has two hits, including a home run. Naylor has three hits, including a home run. A Rosarena has three hits. and of course, Luke Rayleigh with the Grand Slam and the three-run homer, just an overwhelmingly good offensive day from your Seattle Mariners. And all of that is with Cal Raleigh going 0 for five with a K. We'll get to him a little bit later on the show, I promise.

Starting point is 00:01:21 But let's talk about the good first. It's, you know, when you score 12 runs, there's going to be a couple guys that have career days. And that's exactly what happened. Luke Rale is the first one to mention there. I love, you know, his simplicity is the word I keep going to at the plate. He's going to strike out. He's going to be a guy that's going to strike out a decent amount.

Starting point is 00:01:44 He's going to miss on, you know, some fastballs up a little bit. But, man, when he's quick to the baseball like he was in those two swings in big moments, by the way, you needed, I don't say every run that you got tonight, but you needed a lot because the Chicago White Sox still scored eight runs. Now I realize you put in a couple low leverage relievers later in the game because the game had blown open a little bit. But that's due to how good your offense was. So you can play around a little bit. So I like the way the offense is starting to click a little bit, especially the middle of the order.

Starting point is 00:02:19 Good for Brendan Donovan to get back. I think that's a sneaky big reason why this happened. Not because, you know, he necessarily is that difference maker, which I think he is. but it kind of moves everyone down a little bit puts jp and i think in a better spot i do like him at lead off but he's better in the kind of bottom third of the order so to speak just because if he's you know set in the table for the top of the order that's the perfect role for him and he does it once again today i think uh what do you get two walks today j p crawford uh he did get two walks and a hit so he gets on base three times that's just that's just exactly what he brings to the table and

Starting point is 00:03:00 It's great to see. Let's start with the start with Emerson Hancock. Boy, it's weird because if you had told me, Emerson Hancock goes six innings, five hits, five runs, all earned three walks, just four K's. I would have said, Marinders probably lose that game. But they do so well offensively that we can kind of, you know, learn from our mistakes in a win, so to speak, here from Emerson Hancock's perspective.

Starting point is 00:03:30 look, this isn't a, he's going to be terrible. Oh my God, I'm so worried now. It's a bad start. Don't get me wrong. But I will say positive sign of the bad start is that he still ended up getting through six innings. If you were to tell me he gets through six innings, period, no matter what, how many runs he gives up, when he had that clunker in the third inning, I would have taken that all day every single day. And that's what he does. So the ability to get through six.

Starting point is 00:04:00 and save some bullpen arms for later in the game is a massive reason why the Mariners, you know, were in a much better position later in the game. Obviously, number one reason is the offense. But Emerson Hancock, in a bad start, don't get me wrong, still getting through six innings is a really, really good, you know, kind of outcome for him, you know, when your worst starts are still, you're getting through six. That's a good sign for him moving forward. not so good of a sign as the walks.

Starting point is 00:04:32 Look, I said almost every start from him last year on the postcast when Chris was with me. I would always say, look, it's such a one input equals one outcome sort of thing with him. If he's walking guys, he's not successful. If he's not walking guys, he's usually pretty dang good. It's amazing how one little part of your game can make that big of a difference. And look, you can say the same thing for our offense too. Look at how many walks the Mariners drew tonight, getting on base ahead of, you know, big at-bats, big moments in the game.

Starting point is 00:05:10 You're going to give yourself more opportunities in high-leverage situations. That's more high-stress pitches for the pitcher. We'll get to that on the offensive side of the ball in a second. But you saw that on the flip side from Emerson, Hancock, and you saw how quick things can kind of unravel a little bit in that third inning when he doesn't have his command that we've seen until this point this year because that looked like a 2025 Emerson Hancock start. And look, you know, it's, it's, if this is kind of a one-off, not worried at all. He still looked like he had the good stuff.

Starting point is 00:05:47 The sweeper was still getting some swing and miss. The fastball up was getting some swing and miss. You only end up with four Ks, but you're not going to always. have seven, eight, nine Ks every single start. But it's the walks that worry me a little bit. So that's going to be a trend or not trend, depending on what he does in his next start to watch. So if he kind of is just a blip in the radar and they all came in one inning,

Starting point is 00:06:13 so I tend to believe it is just a blip in the radar, then I'm not too worried about him moving forward. But it's amazing how when he starts walking guys, how quickly things can unravel. with him. Bullpen looks good besides the fact that Alex Hoppe, you know, kind of had to struggle through the eighth inning. And Jerome Simpson or Josh Simpson, excuse me, had to struggle through the ninth. Look, these guys are your end of the bullpen arms. The good side of things is that Bizarro comes in. Just give up the hit, but looks clean.

Starting point is 00:06:48 And you don't use Ferreira and you don't use Munoz today. So, and especially with how short the Mariners bullpen is right now. That's a big dub for the team moving forward. But the big reason why you won this one is the offense. Let's talk about it on the other side of the break here on the Mariners postcast. A huge 12 to 8 victory over the Chicago White Sox. We'll be right back with more to break it all down. The NHL playoffs are here where every shift matters. Every moment is intense and the pressure is at its highest. Yeah, guys, if you haven't caught the NHL playoffs on TV yet, please do. highly recommend if maybe you're someone not super into hockey. It's far superior than the NBA

Starting point is 00:07:32 playoffs, in my opinion. Just please take a watch and enjoy it because it's high octane. It's so fun to watch. And just like performance matters on the ice, it matters off the ice too. That's where Ruggiat comes in. Ruggia offers treatments designed to help you get ready and stay ready when it matters. Their top option, Ruggiat ready, combines clinically proven ingredients and a simple mint that dissolves under your tongue. It works fast, often in about 15 minutes, and can last up to 36 hours. And they also offer go long,

Starting point is 00:08:05 designed to help with both performance and control. It's all about confidence and feeling like yourself again. Head to ruggiat.com slash locked on NHL and get 15% off your ED treatment. That's rugiiet.com slash locked on NHL for 15% off. Rugiat Performance Medicine for Men. workplace chaos deadlines stacking up inbox overflowing and the one position you have to fill still sitting open when the pressure's on and you need the right hire this is a job for sponsor jobs indeed sponsor jobs helps you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for skills experience location so you're not just hoping the right candidate stumbles across your post and here's a stat that says it all in the minute i've been talking to you companies like yours made 27 hires on indeed according to indeed according to indeed that worldwide. So if you're hiring, spend less time searching and more time interviewing candidates

Starting point is 00:09:00 that check all your boxes with Indeed sponsored jobs. Spend less time searching, more time actually interviewing candidates who check those boxes. Less stress, less time, more results. When you need the right person to cut through the chaos, this is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. The listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsor job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at Indeed.com slash podcast. Go to Indy.com slash podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about it on this podcast. Need to hire?

Starting point is 00:09:35 This is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. Welcome back to Mariners Postcast. Anderson Hurst here. Look, both really good conversation to have with the offense and a kind of tough one to have. Let's start with the good because it's the main reason you won this game today. and it's, you know, the middle of the order. Julio Rodriguez, two for five, a home run, obviously the RBI, two runs scored.

Starting point is 00:10:07 A good day from him at the office. It just kind of sounds like he's really starting to pick it up and gain some consistency. And we're saying that on May 8th, 2026. Look, I realize, and I put a tweet out earlier today, that during Emerson Hancock's big inning, there was a play during the double, the basis clearing double that scored their three runs. I feel like Julio makes that play more often than not. And at least in 2025, that's a play that he makes in the center field. And for whatever reason, I don't know if it's injury related.

Starting point is 00:10:41 I don't know if he's just not picking up the baseball very well. His instincts are a little off in center right now. And it kind of comes at a tough time defensively because the rest of your team's struggling And going into the year, we knew this team wouldn't be great defensively, but you said you could at least rely on center field. Right now you can't, which is a little bit concerning for the defensive side of the ball. Look, I still think he'll be fine. I don't know if there's something injury related there, but that's just my take.

Starting point is 00:11:12 However, he is raking more in early May than we have seen him in his entire career. And I don't know about you guys. Would you take that trade off? would you take the trade off for an all year Julio offensive production season instead of just a second half Julio, as we always say, instead of having the full year of good defense. Look, I still think the defense turns around, but I guess I would take the trade off of him having a good offensive start to the season.

Starting point is 00:11:44 And look, it's nothing to write home about. He still has a 755 OPS. Still good, really good. But that's much higher than we're used to seeing him have at this point in the year in his career. So I think I would take it, but still would like to see a little bit more from him in the center field. Josh Naylor continues to pick it up as of late. Three hits, including the home run. I think he's starting to lock in. You know, I do a podcast with Chuck Powell, the Stowe podcast. You guys, I want to check that out as well whenever you want more Mariners content.

Starting point is 00:12:16 You know, you get it every day here on Lockdown Mariners. But he mentioned something, I think it was in the St. Louis series, may have been in the minute. Soda series. I can't remember. But when he hits the absolute tank and he has the little bit of a the pimp shot where he tosses the bat, that was his way of saying, all right, early season I was in a slump. I am now officially out of it at this point. And I think I completely agree, especially the way he's been playing as of late. He's seen the baseball much better, hitting the ball hard. I think he's being a little bit more patient at the plate as well. Guys, but before we get to Luke Rayleigh, obviously the player of the game today, unsung hero might have a shout.

Starting point is 00:12:53 out to be Randy a Rosalena. And you can say he's been an unsung hero for the majority of this season because I still think right now he's your best offensive player. He looks so locked in at the plate. It's awesome to see. And it's not him, you know, showing elite power. It's not, I mean, he's still walking at a great rate as well. But man, alive is his contact great?

Starting point is 00:13:19 He looks steady. He looks quick to the ball. He puts it the other way. when he needs to, and then he's being a menace on the base paths as well. I love what I'm seeing from Randy or Rosarena offensively moving forward. I'd like to see him moved up in the lineup, and we'll talk about who that might be for in a second. Luke Rayleigh, obviously, two huge home runs.

Starting point is 00:13:42 This is what you're going to get from Luke Riley. You're going to get a couple days where he strikes out three times, but then when he connects and he gets a couple of mistakes, that is one thing about Luke Rayleigh that I'm noticing. he is probably right now maybe Randy but Luke Rayleigh is the guy that is least likely to miss a mistake and when I say miss I mean like that you can still get a hit but something that you should be hitting over the fence like I think Julio has a fantastic contact approach sometimes especially with two strikes but there are times where it's a get me over pitch that he should be hitting over the wall and he's, you know, pulling a ground ball hard

Starting point is 00:14:27 to the third base. And that's okay sometimes. But Luke Rayleigh, it seems when he gets a pitch to hit, he mashes it. So good to see from him that he, you know, got two great pitches to hit. And they were in big moments in this game too. I know the three run homer a little bit later in the game kind of is like, okay, you know, you're blowing it open. But look at what happens in the next couple innings.

Starting point is 00:14:48 The White Sox get four more runs. So you never know what can happen if he doesn't hit that three-run homer. You might be stressing this one out a little bit more. Quickly, Rob Reff Snyder still continues to struggle. I know two of his at-bats do come against righties, but man alive. I'd love to see him start doing his job, and that's it and left-handed pitching, because that's really all he's put on the team to do. So I'm curious how long this experiment lasts, to be completely honest.

Starting point is 00:15:15 But the big one's Cal Rale, guys. And I know I see a lot of people mentioning it in the chat. I wonder if it's a health thing. I don't, I'm going to avoid making declarating and sweeping declarations statements here because, you know, he's a guy that's caught more innings in the last couple years than almost anyone in baseball. So there might be some wear and tear. You add the WBC.

Starting point is 00:15:44 I know it was a while ago, but you add the home run derby. It's a lot of swings. And I realize that, you know, these are professional athletes. They should be expected to play at the highest level in this long, grueling season. But it takes a toll, it takes a toll, especially for a catcher. I don't think he's 100% healthy. And it's showing kind of how he's kind of struggling through his swings right now. And it almost feels like he's kind of, without a better term, half-assing his.

Starting point is 00:16:18 swings. You could tell last year when he was locked in, he was so quick to the ball, and he put kind of his whole body through it. They call him a big dumper for a reason, because he uses his lower half really, really well. And that's how he could get to those lower balls that almost hit the ground and hit him out of the ballpark. Now he's just not even hitting anything that's down the middle. He's missing mistake pitches. He's just not making good contact. And I wonder how long this lasts before they need to start thinking about, you know, making a move, not making a move in terms of benching him or anything like that. But if he's really injured, you need to kind of, I wonder why they didn't do that with this past injury scare. He's been sore. I wonder, you know, how much

Starting point is 00:17:07 discomfort he's really in right now. I just, I wonder if there's going to, if he's ever going to be right for this year. And that being said, he needs the first thing, the first thing that needs to happen. He can no longer be hitting second in the order. That absolutely needs to happen because there is no chance right now that he's your best hitter. Last year, no longer matters. I realize he had a great year last year and you want to play it by track record. But we are now over a month into the season, almost a month and a half into the season. The Mariners just played their 39th game. and he has a 595 OPS. It's a below a 600 OPS and a 169 batting average.

Starting point is 00:17:55 He showed like a one week-ish stretch where he looked like he was coming out of it a little bit. But then ever since the injury bug hit him once again, it's a little worrisome because you were relying on that offensively coming into the season. and you're going to be a little less consistent without a big bat like him in the lineup. But I think until that happens, he needs to be moved down in the order. He should not be hitting anywhere above fourth. And honestly, I think it should be fifth or sixth the way things are going right now. You need to move Randy up.

Starting point is 00:18:30 You could have a conversation about J.P. Crawford a little higher in the lineup as well. I'd still do like Brendan Donovan at leadoff. I'd probably do something like Donovan, Julio. Randy Naylor, maybe Cal after that. That's kind of the idea that I would have, but he just absolutely can't be hitting second. It's a hole in the most important spot in your order. And there's too many times,

Starting point is 00:18:53 I know it didn't happen today, but there's too many times where an important at bat comes and Cal Raleigh just kind of flails. And until he figures it out, and I believe he will, he can no longer be hitting second in the order. So it's just, it's not, it's not the place for him. So I, I want to see, I want to see a change. So, and I see a couple of you saying, you know, the fourth is the best hitter.

Starting point is 00:19:21 Look where Aaron Judge is batting on his team. Look for Shohay Otani is batting on his team. Look for Mike Trout is batting on his team. The best hiters all hit second, sometimes even first, but more often than not, they're second. And right now, um, track. record-wise, including everything, I would put Julio second. I'm not saying here's your best hitter right now, but he's, he has the track record of being that guy. Okay, tomorrow, Luis Castillo goes, guys, a big one to watch,

Starting point is 00:19:50 kind of see if he bounces back a little bit or not. I'm sure the Mariners are watching closely with Bryce Miller kind of waiting in the off, in the offing here to come back in against Anthony Kay, guys, left-handed pitcher, be ready for Rob Reff Snyder or Connor Joe, so just be ready for that one. We'll talk to you guys a little bit tomorrow. Have a good one. Go Mariners. Big win today. Hopefully Luis Castillo bounces back.

Starting point is 00:20:16 Hopefully, Cal Raleigh has a bounce back day, but I ain't praying on that one. But we'll talk to you guys tomorrow. Have a good.

Locked On Mariners - Daily Podcast On the Seattle Mariners - MARINERS POSTCAST: Seattle Mariners GET BATS GOING in win vs Chicago White Sox

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.