Unexpected Team off to Hottest Start in MLB
Ashton England
The Seattle Mariners have made a name for themselves to start off the 43rd season of the franchise. After many offseason acquisitions and trades, Seattle has found their groove, beginning the season with a record of 13 and 2, putting them well ahead of every other major league team in terms of wins. What has made Seattle so good all the sudden? The electric offense through their first 15 games, and the quality of their pitching staff has provided them a great chance to win ballgames.
In their first 15 games of the 2019 season, the Seattle Mariners have broken an MLB record, hitting a homerun in 15 straight games to begin the season. Not only do they now claim that record, but it was truly a team effort as 11 players have hit homeruns so far this season for the team. Surprisingly, Jay Bruce, an offseason acquisition from the New York Mets, leads the pack with 7 homeruns so far. Power is not the only thing Seattle boasts though. So far, four players out of the team’s starting nine has maintained a batting average over .300, with a fifth player within ten points of the mark. Batting averages of that caliber have put eight players above a .300 on base percentage, which is a great contributor as to why the Mariners have scored the most runs so far this season of any team. Seattle is averaging 7.33 runs per game, as they have scored 110 runs through 15 games. With this pace, a postseason run is inevitable, barring a slump. For MLB fans who love to see some offense, keep the Seattle Mariners on your radar, as they show no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Another key to Seattle’s success has been their quality pitching. Only six games have not been won by Seattle’s starting five. Of the nine wins Seattle’s starting pitchers have earned, almost half of those have been by Marco Gonzales, as he has won all four of his starts so far. With a 3.16 ERA through four games, and 16 strikeouts, he will be an exciting pitcher to watch as the season progresses. Another name to watch is Yusei Kikuchi, an offseason acquisition from Japan, as Seattle has notably done before to great success. Kikuchi hasn’t managed to nab his first big league win yet, but has racked up 15 strikeouts and a respectable 1.06 walks and hits per innings pitched. He also has the lowest batting average against of any Seattle pitcher, with opponents managing only to hit .235 against him. He’s let up a lot of runs so far, but fans should not worry, as the season is still young.
The Seattle Mariners are most definitely a team to watch in 2019. With their improved offense that has been dominating pitchers around the league, and pitching that has continued to keep them in a position to win, the Mariners have taken advantage. Through 15 games, the Mariners have the best record in the league. But, can they withstand the hardships of a 162 game season, and find themselves among the elite few to contend for a World Series title?
“The electric offense through their first 15 games, and the quality of their pitching staff has provided them a great chance to win ballgames.”
