SEATTLE — The King’s Court flashed the “K” signs Sunday afternoon, but the letter that has defined the Mariners for the past couple weeks is L.
They found a way to lose eight straight games at home. They found a way to lose both of their games against the worst team in baseball. They found a way to lose ground in the standings despite playing what, on paper, seemed to be their easiest stretch of the schedule.
But with a 4-0 win over the A’s in their final game before the All-Star break, it would appear there is one thing the Mariners haven’t lost: hope.
“We needed that one,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “It’s nice to end on a positive note. It’s been a struggle for us.”
The Mariners’ transition from surging to slumping was striking. Two weeks ago, they were riding a six-game winning streak, had cracked .500 for the first time all season, and were within one game of the final wild-card spot. And that was with 11 of their next 14 games taking place at Safeco Field, including two against the now 29-58 Phillies.
They ended up dropping 10 of those 14 games — including both vs. Philadelphia — all the while learning that Tommy John surgery would sideline starting pitcher Drew Smyly for the rest of the year. Mitch Haniger wasn’t producing, Mike Zunino went cold, and Nelson Cruz had gone 24 games sans a home run.
So with the Boomstick and friends struggling, Seattle’s playoff chances suddenly looked broomstick-thin. Perhaps they still are.
But if Sunday suggested anything, it’s that maybe this thing isn’t quite over yet.
“It’s always nice to finish strong,” said Cruz, who hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning. “It gives us the memory — ‘OK we got the W; we got our ace.’ It’s good things to think about.”
The ace Cruz is referring to is one Felix Hernandez, who looked like his old … actually, young, self Sunday. Five days after allowing five earned runs in six innings vs. the Royals, the King pitched six scoreless innings against the A’s — giving up two hits while striking out eight.
It was easily his best game of the year, which Servais may have seen coming before the first pitch.
“He just had a different look about him today,” said the skipper.
Granted, the odds are small that Hernandez’s outing Sunday is indicative of future dominance. He hasn’t been able to consistently overwhelm hitters in years, as is reflected by his annually escalating ERA.
But he did show that his once unhittable stuff is still in him. Maybe we’ll see more of it in the second half?
The Mariners (43-47) don’t quite need a miracle to make a playoff push, but daily prayers to the baseball gods couldn’t hurt. They are going to need guys to outplay the backs of their baseball cards and keep the disabled list as close to blank as possible.
The Nelson Cruz that has hit three home runs in this last five games? He’s going to need to be more of a regular. The Kyle Seager that slugged .499 last year? He’s going to need to return. The Mitch Haniger that led the American League in wins above replacement before straining his oblique? A semblance of that man would provide a much-needed boost.
“We have to compete in the second half,” Hernandez said. “We’re just going to go out there and compete against anybody, and try to feel healthy and it will be good.”
Still, if you squint, you just might find a glimmer of hope after Sunday’s win. It doesn’t look good, but it isn’t quite over.
