PHOENIX: On September 30, 2018, the Mariners closed out their season with their 89th victory. It wasn’t enough to lead Seattle to its first postseason appearance since 01, a drought still active to this day, but it marked the most successful team Kyle Seager had been a part of in his great career. in the league.
Maybe the 2021 sailors change that.
Seager won a pair of three-run homers in an 8-5 win over the D-backs Saturday night at Chase Field, helping the Mariners improve to 74-62. It is the first time Seattle has played at least 12 games above .500 since the end of the 18th season, when it finished 16 games.
While the Mariners are four games behind the Red Sox (who have won four in a row) for the second berth of the American League Wild League card, they have captured the A’s, who are now also four behind the Sox after lose against the Blue. Jays each of the last two days.
Seattle has won four straight games and five of its last six, a stretch in which four competitions have been decided for a career.
“It has been amazing, our launch has been really amazing. To win these games in one go, that comes down to that, right? Seager said. “Offensively, we did enough, but our pitch … without a doubt, that was the key. We played a good defense and we threw very well. Without a doubt, that was our mark.”
As for the Seager brand in 2021, the power has increased. He had never before achieved more than 30 home runs in a season and had only reached that figure once (2016). This year, he has 33 homers in 134 games.
On Saturday, Seager’s first three-race explosion occurred before recording a start. After JP Crawford and Mitch Haniger opened the night with consecutive singles, Seager basketed a 399-foot homer to back-back Humberto Castellanos.
Arizona responded with four runs at the bottom of the first, and both teams came and went until the game tied at 5 in sixth place. That’s when Seager came in with his second home run: a 406-foot Caleb Smith left-footed shot that landed in the pool in center-right field and gave Seattle an 8-5 lead.
“The longer you play, you get an idea of the pitches you’re looking for and what you can do with them,” said Scott Servais, the sailors ’manager. “Kyle has always been very good at throwing the ball in the air. This is how you get local races in this league. There aren’t many guys who can go to the opposite field and live there outside of their career, you have to throw the ball in the air. Kyle is looking for certain pitches and his swing has been in a good place most of the year. “
Seager became the Mariners ’first player to get a pair of three-run homers in the same game since Daniel Vogelbach did so on July 19, 2019 against the Angels.
In a Seattle formation with a lot of youth, Seager offers a constant presence in the center. And his teammates really appreciate the great achievements the 33-year-old third baseman continues to give in his eleventh league season.
“A lot of them come in these clutch situations too to put us in the lead or to get back into the game,” said Crawford, who won 4 for 5. “The guy is a true professional, man. He just gets it. “
Seattle head coach Marco Gonzales added: “I hope he plays 10 more years, because right now he’s doing a good show.”
If the Mariners can keep rolling and advancing to the Wild Card standings for the last 26 games of the season, perhaps Seager will be able to experience the postseason for the first time.
Regardless of whether Seattle ends up there, you can count on Seager to do his part to try to make that happen.
“One thing I have taken very seriously over the years is that my job is to go and play wherever I want. [Servais] he tells me and touches me wherever he tells me, “said Seager.” And then you just go out there and try to do your job every day. It’s definitely something I’ve been proud of. “