When Will We See an Offensive Explosion From the Mariners?
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One of the trademarks of the AL West Champion Mariners has been clutch hitting, with plenty of power along the way. Seattle's slew of sluggers is led by Cal Raleigh and his 60 homers in 2025, but manager Dan Wilson's lineup packs plenty of wallop. Up and down the order, just about any M's player can shock you with sudden shot to the stands.
However, the team has scored just five runs in the first two games of the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. And while they have gotten a couple of home runs by second baseman Jorge Polanco and one from centerfielder Julio Rodriguez, the team has yet to showcase its entire arsenal. At least, not in the same ways that they did during their historic September charge to take the division crown.
Raleigh has yet to homer in the series, which is strange considering the Ruthian-like numbers he registered in the regular season. Perhaps he's waiting for the most pivotal moment, hoping to end the series with a shot that would be akin to Robert Redford in The Natural... minus the light-bulb busting, of course.
The Mariners have a Plethora of Power Possibilities
Beyond Raleigh is the multi-talented Rodriguez, who notched his second 30-30 season in his career. Josh Naylor, despite being on pins and needles currently as he awaits the birth of his child, is not only known to flex his might, but to do so in clutch situations. But perhaps the most intriguing name in the dugout is third baseman Eugenio Suarez.
Suarez blasted 49 home runs on the season, but almost all of them came while he was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. With the Mariners, Suarez batted .189 in 53 games and was considered a trade deadline 'bust'. Fair or unfair, the fans have the right to see things that way, but a couple of big bombs in crucial moments could help him salvage his stint with Seattle.
Perhaps the Tigers' Game 3 starter Jack Flaherty could be who Seattle strikes. The Detroit right-hander surrendered 23 long balls in 161 innings in the regular season. It would certainly be a shot in the arm for the M's who haven't played poorly, but have performed with a little less fire since clinching the division. A flurry of fireworks and an offensive explosion could be just what the doctor ordered to light the Mariners' flame again.
