MLB

TORONTO — The kind of baseball a team is playing is usually dictated by the results. There is “winning baseball” for teams on a roll. Some teams will say they are still playing “good baseball” when they are losing close, competitive games.

TORONTO — The Mariners didn’t expect Luis Castillo to replicate the overpowering dominance he displayed in that memorable American League Wild Card game back in October of 2022. Though they would’ve happily taken seven-plus shutout innings.

MILWAUKEE – The decision to remove Emerson Hancock from his second start of the season again came down effectiveness, pitches thrown and innings worked.

MILWAUKEE – Before the words, “played their best game of the season” could be written or even be uttered on Saturday evening, the Mariners found a way to take a seemingly complete performance and a rare comfortable victory, highlighted by a scintillating performance from starter Bryce Miller, and turn it into another second-guessing, stomach-churning, late-inning dramafest.

ATLANTA — Spencer Strider's season is in jeopardy after the Braves announced the right-hander has damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Strider underwent an MRI that revealed damage on Saturday. He will be further evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, at a date yet to be determined. Strider experienced right elbow discomfort during his start Friday and was ...

MILWAUKEE – The venue changed, but the problems and the failures remain.

SEATTLE – The question isn’t whether Cole Young will eventually earn a promotion to the big leagues.

Seattle Times sports staff

SEATTLE – In defense of the Mariners …

SEATTLE – One pitch in, and you could already see the steam popping out of George Kirby’s ears.

SEATTLE – The Mariners didn’t pitch particularly well Tuesday night, highlighted (lowlighted?) by a second straight sluggish start from Luis Castillo to open the season.

That’s more like it.

Matt Brash and Gregory Santos, two-thirds of what the Mariners expect to be a menacing back-of-the-bullpen trio, are roughly on schedule in their recovery from arm injuries.

SEATTLE – The missed call didn’t cost the Mariners the game. No, their continued refusal to stop swinging at breaking pitches out of the strike zone and their series-long inability to hit breaking balls in the zone were larger issues in Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Red Sox at a sunny, but chilly T-Mobile Park.

SEATTLE – People may have shrugged their shoulders and point out that this was merely one plate appearance in one game in late March. Julio Rodriguez, surely, will step to the plate in much bigger games and much bigger moments for the Mariners this season.

The Mariners “explosion” of offense and runs in the bottom of the 10th inning that carried them to an improbable 4-3 walk-off victory featured one thing missing from so many scoreless innings in this young season — a strikeout.

SEATTLE – George Kirby didn’t know that he walked the first batter he faced in his 2024 season. Unaware that he’d been called for a pitch-clock violation, he was perplexed when Red Sox leadoff hitter Jarren Durran started running to first base after what Kirby presumed was ball three.

The normally cool facade that Luis Castillo operates with on the mound was interrupted at times Thursday night. There were second glances at home plate umpire Larry Vanover following unfavorable calls on borderline pitches. And more than a few frustrated head shakes at pitches that simply didn’t go to their intended locations.

The division figures to be as tough as any in MLB this season, with the Astros, Rangers and Mariners all carrying realistic postseason expectations.