After going 2-4 in Philadelphia and Toronto, the Mariners begin a three-game series in Oakland tomorrow. Obviously, finishing the road trip on a high note against the last-place A’s would be a nice way to begin May.
Home is where the heart is?
With all signs pointing towards the A’s eventually relocating to Las Vegas, it’s likely the Oakland Coliseum will be a low-energy venue this week and probably forever. It’s a disappointing, yet unsurprising, outcome for a fan base that deserves better.
Still, moving to a modern facility will undoubtedly benefit future A’s rosters, particularly hitters. Check out the team’s home/away offensive splits for proof.
Oakland hitters have been noticeably better on the road, especially in the power department. While this season remains a small sample size and the A’s have been rather bad, a review of offensive numbers from 2020-22 reveals similar home and road production gaps.
And another run scores…
Despite playing in one of the friendliest venues in MLB for pitchers and possums, the A’s pitching staff has been the worst in baseball.
Oakland has allowed three-or-fewer runs in just four of its 29 games, which is the fewest in MLB. Conversely, the Rays are pacing the league with 19. Seattle has accomplished the feat 15 times.
Leaving so soon?
Finishing the sixth inning has been a challenge for Oakland’s rotation. It’s happened only four times, which is (again) the fewest in the majors.
6+ Inning Starts
OAK - 4
DET - 4
NYM - 5
BOS - 6
MIA - 7
BAL - 7
CIN - 8
STL - 8
COL - 9
KCR - 9
MLB average = 10 games
A’s who’ve delivered six-or-more innings are JP Sears (2 times), Shintaro Fujinami (1), and Ken Waldichuk (1). The Mariners will see Sears on Wednesday. Not the others unless they appear in relief.
Walk this way
In the A’s preseason primer, we discussed surrendering free passes as a potential problem for the bullpen. It was in month-one of the season.
Oakland relievers have a 14.4% walk rate, easily the highest in baseball. Only two members of the bullpen have a walk rate lower than the current MLB average (9.6%). They are Domingo Acevedo (4.8%) and Adrián Martinez (6.8%), who’s on the 60-day IL.
Doc, it hurts when I do this
Speaking of health-related issues, multiple A’s are sidelined due to injury.
Notable A’s on the IL
1B/OF - Seth Brown (10-day) - Oblique
C- Manny Piña (10-day) - Sprained wrist
SP - Paul Blackburn (15-day) - Finger avulsion
SP - Adrián Martínez (15-day) - Strained elbow
RP - Trevor May (15_day) - Anxiety
RP - Dany Jiménez (60-day) - Strained shoulder
RP - Kirby Snead (60-day) - Strained shoulder
To me, losing Seth Brown, arguably the team’s best hitter last year, is a big deal. So is losing starter Paul Blackburn and reliever Trevor May. Fortunately, all three will eventually return to the club this season.
A’s to watch
There are many new faces in Oakland. Several may not be recognizable to the casual fan - or even the ardent follower of the game. Let’s talk about a few of them.
Rookie Esteury Ruiz is one of the fastest players in MLB. His 29.7 ft/sec sprint speed is eighth best. He also has the fourth-most bolts (15).
Bolts are runs above the elite-level sprint speed of 30 ft/sec
Ruiz has an AL-leading 11 stolen bases and is reaching base at a good rate (.336 OBP). However, the right-handed hitter has been more productive against southpaws.
Ruiz’s Platoon Splits (2023)
vs RHP - 83 PA's/.216 AVG/.284 OBP/.257 SLG
vs LHP - 39 PA’s/.344 AVG/.447 OBP/.406 SLG
Designated hitter Brent Rooker had previously appeared in 81 games with the Twins, Royals, and Padres. He may have found a home in Oakland.
In 77 plate appearances, Rooker has a .353 AVG/.465 OBP/.779 SLG slash-line with nine home runs. Furthermore, the 28-year-old has the second-highest OBP and the best SLG among hitters with 80-plus plate appearances.
A Rule 5 draft acquisition from the Dodgers, Ryan Noda is also producing. The 27-year-old first baseman is slashing .239/.400/.433. It’s worth noting he does have a 35.3% strikeout rate to go with his 21.2% walk rate.
Second-year catcher Shea Langeliers had a 113 OPS+ in March/April (100 is average). However, the 25-year-old’s bat has cooled over the past two weeks - .167 AVG/.239 OBP.
Veteran Jesús Aguilar is hitting .270/.321/.500 with a 119 OPS+. The right-handed hitter has been splitting time between first base and DH. But Aguilar has a paltry .481 OPS with a 34.7% strikeout rate against right-handers. Conversely, he’s been better against southpaws - 1.389 OPS and a 12.1% strikeout rate.
Right fielder Ramón Laureano returned from the IL over the weekend and immediately made his presence known with three hits, including a double. The longest-tenured Athletic also reminded base runners on Saturday why challenging his arm is a risky move.
Video: Laureano’s outstanding throw
And let’s not overlook Tony Kemp, who’s scuffling with a .163/.255/.221 slash. I don’t believe players “own” certain teams, but some of you do. So, I’ll mention Kemp had 17 hits in 54 at bats (.315 AVG) against Seattle in 2022.
Although the pitching staff has struggled greatly, it’s worth noting relievers Zach Jackson (.293 xwOBA) and Sam Moll (.285 xwOBA) have been solid for Oakland.
Okay, let’s turn our attention to the hometown nine.
Bye-bye April!
Pitching has been Seattle’s strength thus far. The offense? Not so much.
Although some of you will disagree, it’s too early to be anxious about the Mariners’ record or run production effort. That said, one of 14 numbers I suggested watching this season was the team’s record in May.
Avoiding barrels
Seattle pitchers boast the lowest barrel rate (3.7%) in MLB. “Barrels” are batted balls with the ideal blend of exit velocity and launch angle. This season, barrels have produced 87.7% of all home runs and a league-wide .710 AVG and 2.385 SLG.
Barrel Rates of M’s Pitchers
Tayler Saucedo - 0%
Matt Brash - 0%
Trevor Gott - 1.6%
Penn Murfee- 2%
Justin Topa - 2.3%
Gabe Speier - 2.6%
Marco Gonzales - 2.8%
George Kirby - 3.3%
Paul Sewald - 3.4%
Logan Gilbert - 3.5%
Easton McGee - 4.5%
Chris Flexen - 4.5%
Diego Castillo - 4.9%
Luis Castillo - 5.2%
Matt Festa - 10.5%
MLB average barrel rate = 5.5%
Having a league-leading barrel rate has undoubtedly contributed to Seattle’s staff allowing the third-fewest home runs (21) and second-lowest SLG (.344).
Now pitching for the Mariners…
I’m not sure what to make of this stat, but I’ll share it anyway. The Mariners have used five-plus pitchers in 16 of 28 their games, which is second-most in MLB.
Most Games With 5+ Pitchers Used
CHW - 17
SEA - 16
OAK - 16
MIA - 14
CIN - 14
BAL - 14
PHI - 13
MIL - 13
LAD - 13
Current MLB average = 11 games
Missing Robbie Ray
There’s no getting around it. Losing Robbie Ray for the season hurts - a lot. Seeing Easton McGee go down with a flexor strain after a brilliant start on Saturday is also disappointing. But it’s important to remember Seattle isn’t the only club dealing with rotation injuries.
Sample of Notable Starters on IL
Triston McKenzie (CLE) - Shoulder strain
Kenta Maeda (MIN) - Strained triceps
Carlos Rodón (NYY) - Strained forearm
Luis Severino (NYY) - Strained lat
Frankie Montas (NYY) - Shoulder surgery
Tyler Glasnow (TBR) - Strained oblique
Jeffrey Springs (TBR) - Tommy John surgery
Jacob deGrom (TEX) - Elbow discomfort
Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU) - Elbow strain
José Urquidy (HOU) - Shoulder
Adrian Houser (MIL) - Strained groin
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) - Shoulder strain
Justin Verlander (NYM) - Shoulder strain
Carlos Carrasco (NYM) - Bone chip in elbow
José Quintana (NYM) - Bone graft (rib)
Ranger Suárez (PHI) - Elbow inflammation
Adam Wainwright (STL) - Strained groin
Joe Musgrove (SDP) - Fractured toe
Despite the Ray and McGee injuries and the early struggles of Chris Flexen, I still feel good about Seattle’s starting staff. Obviously, a few more unexpected losses would change everything. Look no further than the Mets or Yankees for examples of this.
In the Mariners pitching preseason primer, we discussed several potential rotation depth candidates. So far, Flexen and McGee have been called upon. Others will undoubtedly make starts this season. Perhaps as early as this week.
Brrr…
Finally, I leave you with an obscure stat to consider. Entering last weekend’s series in Toronto, the Mariners had played the fewest games with an official temperature of 60 degrees or higher.
Fewest Games Played at 60+ Degrees (thru Apr 27)
SEA - 3
CLE - 4
BOS - 8
CHC - 10
LAD - 12
MIN - 13
NYM - 13
NYY - 13
PIT - 13
BAL - 14
I’m not suggesting the Mariners’ offensive woes in March and April were weather-driven. After all, the opposition dealt with the same chilly temps. But the preceding list does serve as a not-so-subtle reminder we need consistent warmth to return to the Pacific Northwest…now!
At least that’s how I see it.
My Oh My…