SEATTLE (AP) 鈥� When Bryce Miller was relegated to watching Seattle Mariners games on television from the team鈥檚 spring training complex as he rehabbed , the right-hander was left with frustrating viewing.
The Mariners spent most of April and May mired in mediocrity, twice falling five games below .500 less than a year removed from being eliminated by the Toronto Blue Jays in .
Seattle鈥檚 top talent . But, simply qualifying for the postseason when the Mariners owned a 10-15 record in late April seemed unlikely.
鈥淭he first however many games, (we) never really played to our potential, I don鈥檛 think,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淲e knew even the games that we won, either we wouldn鈥檛 pitch that well, or we wouldn鈥檛 hit that well.鈥�
After their sixth straight win, on Sunday, it has become clear the Mariners are finding their groove. Over their longest win streak of the season, Seattle has yielded just 12 runs, only allowing more than two in a game once in .
Simultaneously, the Mariners 鈥� who had the third-most home runs as a team last season (238) 鈥� are leaning more into their power stroke despite the continued absence of last year鈥檚 Cal Raleigh, who is with a . All-Star utilityman Brendan Donovan has been out, too, since May 15 .
The Mariners finished the month of May with 42 home runs, tied with the Chicago White Sox for the most in the major leagues. Center fielder Julio Rodr铆guez, notorious for his slow starts, chipped in 10 of those on his own.
鈥淚 just really feel like things now are trending (up) for us,鈥� Rodr铆guez said. 鈥淭he hits are falling. The guys who can hit home runs are hitting the home runs. And, I feel like everything鈥檚 coming together now.鈥�
As is often the case with the more successful teams in franchise history, though, Seattle has been buoyed by its rotation, one which currently features six starters. Manager Dan Wilson has elected to use six starting pitchers rather than a traditional five-man rotation because no individual has pitched his way out of a role, and has instead 鈥減iggybacked鈥� veteran right-hander Luis Castillo in relief of Miller.
Castillo, currently the highest paid player on the Mariners鈥� roster, has accepted the assignment. He considers himself proud to be part of a rotation that has the seventh-lowest ERA (3.72) in the majors.
鈥淚 know that any one of us, if we鈥檙e all needed (in) the bullpen,鈥� Castillo said, with team interpreter Freddy Llanos translating, 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e all willing to do it.鈥�
From Miller鈥檚 vantage point, it was inevitable the Mariners 鈥� who following their latest win have a 31-29 record and own a 2 1/2-game lead in the AL West 鈥� would eventually hit their stride. As deep in the season as July 27, Seattle was 56-50 before it fired on all cylinders to finish the year, going 36-20 en route to clinching a division crown.
Unlike much of the first two months, when consistency was hard to come by for the Mariners, Wilson has seen oodles of it from Seattle over the last week. Whether that sample proves to be an aberration or an indication that more winning baseball looms near remains to be seen.
But, Wilson and company have been pleased with Seattle鈥檚 all-around play of late nonetheless 鈥� a sentiment rarely shared by Mariners fans much of the spring.
鈥淪winging the bat really well, and what we鈥檝e seen on the mound has been so consistent,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淵ou do both of those things and you play good defense, good things happen consistently. And, I think we feel like we鈥檙e in a much better spot that way.鈥�
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