Gut Reaction: Mariners 8, Mets 3 (6/2/26)
Carson Benge hit two home runs but it wasn’t nearly enough, as the Mariners beat the Mets, 8-3, Tuesday night in Seattle. The Mariners have now gone 11-5 against the Mets in their last 16 head-to-head tilts.
The Mets decided to go with an opener again and Huascar Brazoban allowed 2 ER in 1.2 IP. He’s now allowed 4 ER in 6.0 IP as a starting pitcher. Here’s a thought – let’s stop using him in that role. When used as a reliever, Brazoban has a 1.46 ERA in 24.2 IP.
And to make it crazier, Jonah Tong was brought in the game to face the leadoff hitter, negating whatever little advantage there is to using an opener.
Tong never appeared comfortable on the mound in this one. And he wasn’t helped by his defense, either. Tong allowed 5 R, 4 ER, in 3.1 IP.
Benge cracked a two-run homer that tied the game in the top of the third and then smacked a solo shot in the sixth. The two-homer game got Benge’s season-long OPS to .705 – the MLB average coming into Tuesday was .710, so he’s no longer the embarrassment that some of his wealthier teammates continue to be.
Speaking of wealthier teammates – Marcus Semien went 0-3, hit into a double play, struck out and made an error. But no doubt he’ll be back in the lineup tomorrow.
Mark Vientos went 0-4 with a ninth inning K and also made an error.
Freddy Peralta will try to help the Mets salvage the final game of the series on Wednesday afternoon.
I was at the game, seated directly behind the Mets’ on-deck circle, though not at field level.
Tong was out there battling. There were a lot of deep counts, several full-count situations, some walks, and the long ball hurt him, but I thought the outing had value. He was pitching on the road, in front of 30,000-plus people, with maybe a million more watching on television. That kind of exposure can help a young pitcher. He appeared to work mostly with an 86–87 mph changeup, a 95–96 mph four-seamer, a curveball, and what looked like some splitters.
Benge’s multi-homer night was obviously memorable, and Ewing continues to battle. The outfield suddenly looks like it could be set for years. Benge made at least one nice catch, though the home scoreboard did not show a replay. It was also a pleasure seeing Ewing in center; he appears to have a stronger arm than Benge.
Vientos had a rough night, though he did make a few nice plays at first. On the Mariners’ broadcast in the men’s room, they described some of his first-base play as “Little League,” which gives a sense of how it looked from the other side.
His double-play grounder against Bastardo was especially damaging. Bastardo had just entered, and Vientos swung at the first pitch without really seeing the motion, release, or velocity. The Mets were down by a more manageable margin with men on base, and that inning disappeared quickly.
Vientos had run the grounder out past first base and was 15-plus feet up the outfield foul line when the Mariners left the field. The Mets still had to come back out defensively, but the other six or seven fielders had not yet emerged from the dugout. For a couple of minutes, Vientos was just standing out there alone near the mound area — effectively the only player from either team visible on the field. He did not even have his cap or glove. Instead of someone bringing them out to him at first base, he eventually walked almost all the way back toward the dugout and was handed them at the top of the railing. Whatever the intent, it certainly felt like a message.
The Mets fans behind me were showing their displeasure with him even before the double play, which essentially drained the energy from the comeback attempt. Please, Angels, Royals, A’s, Rockies — make the Mets an offer they cannot refuse for Vientos.
Senger also stood out, not all positively. Early on, he came to the plate looking incredibly muscle-bound and, against Gilbert, had a huge uppercut swing as if trying to hit the ball to the Space Needle. Until his later at-bat, when he finally shortened up with two strikes, I was ready to write how disappointed I was.
Semien’s throwing error after a terrific leaping attempt on a hot liner was disappointing. He also hit into a double play on a swing that, watching later, had no lift. Bichette looked completely out of sorts — either swinging for the seats or trying to guide the ball over the second baseman. On a stronger team, he looks more like a sixth- or seventh-place hitter making south of $20 million.
I continue to be impressed with Baty’s professionalism.
As for Pérez, the journeyman lefty was throwing around 98, but at first glance he looked like a left-handed Ryan Stanek: real velocity, effort in the delivery, and the tendency to give up damaging home runs once the game already starts slipping away. Minter pitched, but at this point I am mostly disinterested and would prefer the Mets move on.