Julio RodríguezJohn Fisher/Getty Images2023 Record: 88-74, 3rd in AL West
2024 Record: 9-10, 3rd in AL West
Playoff Percentage Change: Minus-12.7
After the Mariners fell just short of making the playoffs in 2023, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto was clear-eyed about the offense's role in that.
"If there was a reason why we were sitting home in the postseason," he said, "we felt like it was probably the inability to consistently make contact."
He wasn't wrong, but the problem unfortunately isn't fixed. Mariners hitters are striking out 28.5 percent of the time, the highest such rate of any offense. It's a key factor for why they're only scoring 3.5 runs per game.
Another key factor, however, is that Julio Rodríguez, Mitch Garver and J.P. Crawford have been ice-cold to the tune of a combined .536 OPS. That number only figures to go up, and likely by a lot.
Seattle Mariners @MarinersRT if you love Mitch Haniger. <a href="https://t.co/C7rUCfcKTK">pic.twitter.com/C7rUCfcKTK</a>
In the meantime, it's a positive for Seattle that a similarly slow start on the mound has already dissipated. After coughing up a 5.21 ERA in the team's first 12 games, Mariners hurlers have a 1.83 ERA in six games since then. Given the sheer strength of this staff, the latter is more indicative than the former.
Also in the meantime, the Rangers and Astros are also off to slow starts. As slumps go, this one is well-timed.
Panic Meter: 1
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