The Seattle Mariners head to Detroit on Friday to open a 10-game road trip on the heels of one of the hottest stretches of their season, winning eight of their last nine games and sweeping back-to-back series at T-Mobile Park.
During the eight-game winning streak, the Mariners outscored opponents 48-18 while batting .293 as a team. They piled up 10 or more hits in six of those eight games — a sharp turnaround for a club that had been averaging just two runs per game before the run began.
Longtime Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs told “Seattle’s Morning News” the offense finally caught up with the pitching.
“They just went out and got a ton of base hits and scored a ton of runs and hit the ball out of the ballpark,” Rizzs said. “They had the pitching do it, too. The team’s earned run average (ERA) was 1.92. The starters were great. They had a 1.81 ERA. The bullpen had a 2.37 ERA. That’s how you win eight games in a row like that.”
‘Cardiac Kids’: Walk-off wins draw comparisons to 1995, 2001
The “Cardiac Kids” label has stuck after three walk-off wins in a four-game span, with Randy Arozarena and rookie Cole Young delivering game-ending hits. Rizzs compared the energy to two of the most memorable seasons in franchise history.
“Back in 1995 in September, that’s the way it was when the Mariners had that amazing comeback,” Rizzs said. “It was like that in 2001, pretty much every day when they came out to the ballpark. They won 116 games. It just gives you so much confidence.”
Rizzs credited manager Dan Wilson and the coaching staff for the team’s late-inning poise, pointing to reliever Gabe Speier’s recent return from the injured list. In just his second appearance back, Speier struck out 4-time All-Star Juan Soto and Mark Vientos to strand a runner at second in extra innings.
Outfielder Luke Raley has emerged as one of the season’s biggest surprises, with 13 home runs and 31 runs batted in (RBI) after an injury-plagued 2025.
“He’s healthy, seen a lot of right-handed pitching and not missing the fastball,” Rizzs said. “He’s right there in RBI’s with Julio. He’s right there in home runs with Julio. In my book, he’s an All-Star.”
Cal Raleigh’s return on the horizon as Mariners hit the road
Catcher Cal Raleigh, currently on the injured list, is set to begin a rehab assignment Sunday as the designated hitter for the Class-A Everett AquaSox before moving on to Triple-A Tacoma. Rizzs said Raleigh will not rejoin the team until after the road trip.
“He is just so important to this ball club,” Rizzs said. “He should have been the MVP in the American League — 60 home runs and handling this pitching staff.”
The Mariners open the road trip against a Detroit Tigers club playing without ace Tarik Skubal. The Tigers went 4-21 in an earlier stretch without him.
First pitch in Detroit is set for 3:40 p.m.Friday. Catch the action on 710 Seattle Sports.
This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Manda Factor is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. Follow Manda on X and email her here.
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