SEATTLE MARINERS NOTES:
TODAY’S TILT…the Mariners continue the 10-game road trip (1-3) tonight with the 2nd of 3 games against the Cincinnati Reds (0-1)…the Mariners opened the road trip with a 3-game series against the New York Mets (1-2)…Seattle will also travel to Tampa Bay (4 G, 9/7-10) on the road trip…tonight’s game will be televised live on ROOT SPORTS with Aaron Goldsmith and Mariners Hall of Famer Dan Wilson on the call…the game will also be broadcast live on Seattle Sports (710 AM) and Mariners.com with Rick Rizzs and Dave Sims on the call.
ODDS AND ENDS…the Mariners dropped yesterday’s series opener against the Reds by a 6-3 score, losing back-to-back games for the first time since losing 3 in a row from Aug. 12-14…despite yesterday’s loss, the Mariners are 14-5 over their last 19 games, 22-8 over their last 30, 24-9 over their last 33, 27-10 over their last 37, 30-12 over their last 42 and 39-18 over their last 57 games…the Mariners are 60-20 when scoring at least 4 runs and 17-40 when scoring 3-or-fewer…the Mariners are 39-29 at T-Mobile Park and 38-31 on the road this season…they are 26-23 in day games and 51-37 at night. It’s Still Series-ly Impressive – The Mariners have won 11 of their last 13 series and hold a 14-3-1 series record over their last 18 series…the Mariners haven’t dropped back-to-back series since late June, when they dropped series at Baltimore (June 23-25) and vs. Washington (June 26-28). Restart Your Engines – Mike Ford has homered in back-to-back games and is batting .286 (12×42) with 4 home runs and 6 RBI, while getting on base at a .412 clip and slugging .595 with a 1.007 OPS over his last 15 games (8/14-c). Elevator Pitch on Pitching – The Mariners pitching staff leads the Majors in ERA (3.69), FIP (3.78), BB/9 (2.48), SO/BB (3.64), WHIP (1.18) and first-pitch strike percentage (64.3%).
BEST IN THE LAND SINCE JULY 1…the Mariners are 39-18 (.684) over their last 57 games (7/1-c), best record in the American League during that span, trailing only the Dodgers (38-17, .691) for best record in MLB…since July 1, the Mariners offense leads the American League with an .811 OPS and ranking 4th in the Majors…the Mariners offense also leads the AL in on-base percentage (.348) during that span… Seattle pitchers have allowed the fewest runs (207) and have posted the lowest ERA (3.33) in the Majors during that span.
JULIO RODRÍGUEZ: 25 HR/25 SB CLUB…Julio Rodríguez hit his 25th home run of the season in yesterday’s game, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 25 homers and steal 25 bases in each of his first two Major League seasons…Julio has 25 HR this season and 36 SB after tallying 28 HR and 25 SB as a rookie in 2022…if Julio reaches the 25 home run, 40 stolen base mark this season, he will become just the 4th player in MLB history to do so in his age-22 season or younger, joining 20-year-old Mike Trout-LAA (30 HR, 49 SB in 2012), 22-year-old Alex Rodriguez-SEA (42 HR, 46 SB in 1998) and 20-year-old César Cedeño-HOU (25 HR, 56 SB in 1973). Since July 1 – Julio has been one of the best hitters in the Majors since July 1, batting .349 (80×228) with 37 runs, 18 doubles, 1 triple, 12 home runs, 47 RBI and 18 stolen bases, getting on base at a .399 clip and slugging .594 (.993 OPS)…during that span, he ranks among the Major League leaders in average (4th), OBP (12th), OPS (8th), extra-base hits (T-4th, 31), wRC+ (174, 6th) and fWAR (2nd, 3.5). Exclusive Club – Julio has 11.4 bWAR over his first 2 Major League seasons, 12th-most over a player’s first 2 seasons in MLB history…since 1969, J-Rod trails only Kris Bryant-CHC (12.6), Albert Pujols-STL (12.1), Evan Longoria-TB (11.9), Carlos Correa-HOU (11.8) and Wade Boggs-BOS (11.7).
RALEIGH GOOD…in 38 games dating back to July 22, Cal Raleigh is batting .263 (36×137) with 24 runs, 8 doubles, 13 home runs, 28 RBI and 16 walks, while reaching base at a .338 clip and slugging .606 with a .944 OPS…during that span, his 13 home runs are tied for the American League lead (also: Corey Seager-TEX) and rank tied for 4th in MLB, trailing only Pete Alonso-NYM (15), Marcell Ozuna-ATL (14) and Kyle Schwarber-PHI (14)…overall this season, Cal leads all MLB catchers with 25 home runs and ranks tied for the American League lead among catchers with 3.7 fWAR (also: Jonah Heim-TEX), while trailing only Sean Murphy-ATL (4.4), William Contreras-MIL (4.2) and Will Smith-LAD (3.8) for most fWAR among MLB catchers.
TEOSCAR-WORTHY PERFORMANCE…Teoscar Hernández extended his hitting streak to 13 games (8/21-c) with a 1-for-4 performance in yesterday’s game and is now 2 games shy of his career-best 15-game streak with Toronto in 2020…during his active streak, he is batting .370 (20×54) with 2 doubles, 6 home runs, 18 RBI and a 1.127 OPS…the 13-game hitting streak is the 3rd-longest active streak in the Majors, trailing only Trea Turner-PHI (15 G) and William Contreras-MIL (14 G)…over his last 30 games since the beginning of August, Teo is batting .358 (43×120) with 16 runs scored, 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 25 RBI, 4 walks, 2 hit-by-pitches and 1 stolen base, while reaching base at a .383 clips and slugging .642 with a 1.025 OPS.
CHEF’S KISS…Dominic Canzone has hit safely in a career-high 5 consecutive games (8/30-c) and 12 of his last 14 games dating back to his 4-hit game on Aug. 20 at Houston…during the 14-game stretch (8/20-c), Canzone is batting .315 (17×54) with 9 runs scored, 6 doubles, 3 home runs and 6 RBI with a .907 OPS…with the recent hot stretch, he has raised his batting average from .200 entering play on Aug. 20 to .248 entering play today.
AS YOU MAY KNOW…Bryce Miller is 1-0 with a 2.67 ERA (8 ER, 27.0 IP) with 4 walks and 25 strikeouts over his last 5 starts (8/6-c), with the Mariners going 4-1 in those games, and…AS YOU MAY ALSO KNOW…overall this season, Miller has tallied 1.9 fWAR, 4th-most among rookie pitchers in the American League trailing only Tanner Bibee-CLE (2.5), Hunter Brown-HOU (2.3) and Cole Ragans-KC (2.0), but… DID YOU KNOW?…Miller has tallied exactly 100 strikeouts through his first 20 career starts, becoming just the 6th player in Mariners history to record 100+ strikeouts in his first 20 career games?…he joins Félix Hernández (124 K), Michael Pineda (123 K), George Kirby (109 K), Logan Gilbert (106 K), and Roenis Elías (104 K).
MARINERS STARTER – RHP BRYCE MILLER
2023/Career MLB Breakdown:
W-L ERA G/GS IP H R ER BB SO HR
Overall 8-4 3.93 20/20 107.2 92 48 47 21 100 14
Home 5-2 3.62 12/12 64.2 54 27 26 14 58 8
Road 3-2 4.40 8/8 43.0 38 21 21 7 42 6
vs. CIN 0-0 0.00 0/0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ABOUT BRYCE MILLER…
- The 24-year-old right-handed pitcher is scheduled to make his 21st career start, and his 1st against the Cincinnati Reds. Selected by Seattle in the 4th round (113th overall) of the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft; signed by Mariners scout Derek Miller. Spent 3 seasons at Texas A&M from 2019-21…also spent 2 seasons playing for Brazos Valley Bombers of the Texas Collegiate League in 2018 and 2020, and 1 season with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod League in 2019. Was born in Mount Pleasant, Texas and attended New Braunfels High School in New Braunfels, Texas.
LAST TIME OUT…ND on 8/30 vs. OAK after tossing 6.0 innings and allowing 3 runs on 7 hits (1 HR) with 5 strikeouts.
THE CENTURY MARK…recorded his 100th career strikeout in his last outing against Oakland after striking out Ryan Noda in the 5th inning…his 100 strikeouts in his first 20 career games is tied for the 5th fastest to 100 strikeouts in franchise history (also: Roenis Elías).
VS. NATIONAL LEAGUE…owns a 2.92 ERA (4 ER, 12.1 IP) against National League opponents this season…through 2 starts against the NL Miller has allowed 4 walks and 1 home run while striking out 10 and he currently has a 0.730 WHIP.
KEEPING THE BASES CLEAN…recorded his 5th start of the season where he has pitched 6.0+ innings and allowed 2-or-fewer hits in his start against Houston on 8/18…he is tied for the 4th most such starts in the Majors this season (also: Kodai Senga-NYM, Shohei Ohtani-LAA and Freddy Peralta-MIL).
WINNING NUMBERS…his 8 wins are tied for the 5th most in the Majors among rookie starting pitchers this season…in games where Miller gets the win opponents are batting .158 (27×171) against him.
MAKING MORE HISTORY…became the 1st pitcher since at least 1901 to go 6.0+ innings pitched and allow 2-or-fewer hits in at least 4 of his first 10 career appearances.
ROOKIE DOMINATION…allowed 119 runners to reach base safely through his first 20 career starts which is the fewest in a pitcher’s first 20 starts in franchise history (min. 90.0 IP)…he ranks ahead of teammate Logan Gilbert (127).
WATCH ME WHIP…his 1.050 WHIP ranks 8th in the Major Leagues among pitchers with at least 20 starts…he currently ranks behind George Kirby (1.048).
KEEPING THE BATS QUIET…has allowed 92 hits through his first 20 career starts which ranks 3rd among all rookie starters (min. 90.0 IP).
ON THE LEADERBOARD…his 100 strikeouts through his first 20 career starts ranks 6th in franchise history…his 21 walks allowed rank 4th fewest in franchise history in a pitcher’s first 20 career starts with Logan Gilbert.
FIRST 5 STARTS…became the 4th pitcher in franchise history to not allow a home run over his first 5 career starts, joining Michael Pineda, Jim Converse and Brian Snyder…his 4 earned runs allowed are tied for the fewest in a pitcher’s first 5 career starts in franchise history, joining James Paxton (4 ER, 31.1 IP) and Justin Dunn (4 ER, 9.2 IP).
AN ALMOST PERFECT BEGINNING…took a perfect game into the 6th inning in his first career Major League start at Oakland on 5/2 before a Tony Kemp 1-out single broke up the no-hit bid…the 16-consecutive batters retired in a pitcher’s MLB debut are the most since 1961 (h/t Elias Sports).
WHAT A DEBUT…became just the 3rd pitcher in MLB history to strike out 10 batters without issuing a walk in their Major League debut, joining RHP Johnny Cueto-CIN (4/3/08) and Stephen Strausburg-WSN (6/8/10)…became the 30th pitcher in MLB history to strikeout 10+ in their ML debut…also set a franchise record for most strikeouts in a debut moving ahead of Enrique Romo, who struck out 9 on 4/7/77.
NO RUNNERS ALLOWED…became the only pitcher in MLB history to have 3-or-fewer baserunners allowed in each of their first 3 career starts…his 8 baserunners allowed were the fewest in a pitcher’s first 3 career appearances since at least 1901 (min. 15 IP).
MAKING IT LOOK EASY…he became the only pitcher in MLB history to have 6.0+ innings pitched and allow 3-or-fewer baserunners in his first 3 career starts…his 3-game streak of 6.0+ innings pitched and 3-or-fewer baserunners allowed is tied for the longest since 1901…Blake Snell-SDP and Corbin Burnes-MIL were the most recent pitchers to achieve this feat, both doing so in 2021.
CINCINNATI REDS NOTES:
TODAY’S TRANSACTIONS
- Select from Louisville the contract of rookie RHP Kevin Herget (#57). Designated for assignment RHP Michael Mariot. Added to the taxi squad rookie RHP Lyon Richardson (#72). Sent to Louisville on a rehabilitation assignment IF Kevin Newman (left oblique strain, last played 8/15 vs Cle).
TONIGHT’S GAME
- Is Game 2 (1-0) of a 3-game series vs Eugenio Suárez’ first-place Mariners and Game 6 (3-2) of a 10-game homestand that includes visits by the Cubs (2-2) and Cardinals (3g beginning Fri).
SERIES NOTES
- The Redlegs are 4-15 all-time vs Sea, including 2-8 covering 1 series at Cinergy Field (2002) & 3 series at Great American Ball Park (2013, 2016). The Reds have lost all 6 series vs the Mariners, including 3 series sweeps.
ROTATION
- Rookie pitchers have made 45 starts for the Reds. RHP Connor Phillips, in his Major League debut, tonight will become the fourth rookie in the last 5 games to start for the Reds. RHP Lyon Richardson (3gs), who began the season at Class A Daytona, started Fri night’s 3-2 walkoff win vs Cubs. LHP Andrew Abbott (17gs), who began the season at Class AA Chattanooga, started Sat’s 2-1 walkoff win vs Cubs. RHP Carson Spiers (1gs), who began the season at Class AA Chattanooga, made his Major League debut in Sun’s 15-7 loss vs Cubs. Richardson, Abbott and Spiers each made his Major League debut earlier this season, along with fellow starters LHP Brandon Williamson (19gs) and RHP Levi Stoudt (2gs), each of whom began the season at Class AAA Louisville.
ROOKIES ON THE ROSTER
- The Reds have 11 rookies on today’s roster, second-most of any team in the Major Leagues (Pirates 12), plus rookie RHP Lyon Richardson on the taxi squad. IF Elly De La Cruz, IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand, RHP Kevin Herget, IF Noelvi Marte, IF/OF Spencer Steer, LHP Andrew Abbott, RHP Daniel Duarte, RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Connor Phillips, RHP Carson Spiers and LHP Brandon Williamson. Had a season-high 12 rookies on the 27-player roster for the 8/23 day/ night doubleheader at LAA. RHP Connor Phillips tonight will become the 16th Reds player to make his Major League debut this season, the most of any team in the majors…listed below in the order in which they debuted or will debut: RHP Casey Legumina, RHP Levi Stoudt, IF Matt McLain, LHP Brandon Williamson, RHP Eduardo Salazar, OF TJ Hopkins, LHP Andrew Abbott, IF Elly De La Cruz, RHP Ricky Karcher, RHP Randy Wynne, RHP Jake Wong, IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand, RHP Lyon Richardson, IF Noelvi Marte, RHP Carson Spiers, RHP Connor Phillips. RHP Connor Phillips tonight will become the 23rd rookie to play in at least 1 game for the Reds, the most of any team in the Major Leagues and tied for fourth-most in club history (26 in 1909, 25 in 2016, 24 in 1914 & 2017, 23 in 2022)…courtesy @EliasSports. RHP Connor Phillips tonight will become the Reds’ 63rd player overall… IF/OF Alejo Lopez (8/29-8/30) was on the roster briefly but did not appear in a game…in 2022, the Reds used a club record 66 players.
LET THE KIDS PLAY
- The Reds are the first team in Major League history with 3 rookies, in a single season, with at least 10 HR & 10 stolen bases each (Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer). For the first time since 1890, when Cincinnati joined the National League, 3 Reds rookies have produced at least 10 HR…courtesy @ EliasSports. Reds rookies have combined for 52 HR (Spencer Steer 20, Matt McLain 16, Elly De La Cruz 11, Christian EncarnacionStrand 5)…the franchise record for home runs in a season by rookies is 54 in 2008 (Joey Votto 24, Jay Bruce 21, Chris Dickerson 6, Ryan Hanigan 2, Paul Janish 1). On 8/22 at LAA, in his 64th career game, Elly De La Cruz recorded his 20th stolen base to become the fastest player since 1900 to accumulate at least 10 HR and at least 20 steals…Barry Bonds did it in his 65th career appearance, just ahead of Reds rookies Chris Sabo (66g) and Gary Redus (67g)…courtesy @EliasSports. Elly De La Cruz is the first Major League player since RBI became a statistic in 1920 to produce in his first 60 career apps at least 60 hits (64), 10 HR (10), 25 RBI (26) and 15 stolen bases (19). Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer on 7/4 at Wsh became the first set of rookie teammates in Major League history to finish in the same game 4-for-4 with at least 1 RBI (since RBI became an official statistic in 1920)…courtesy @EliasSports. IF Matt McLain (5/22-5/28) and IF Elly De La Cruz (6/19-6/25) each earned National League Player of the Week awards, McLain in the second week of his career and De La Cruz in his third week.
RED HOTS
- The Reds are the first team in Major League history to move into first place alone in 9 games or fewer after falling 5 or
more games under .500 while facing a deficit of at least 5 games…on 6/9 were 29-35 and trailed the first-place Pirates
by 5.0 games…beginning 6/10 won 9 straight games to move into first place alone on 6/19. - The Reds’ 12-game winning streak from 6/10-6/23 tied their modern club record (5/16-5/27, 1939 & 4/30-5/12, 1957).
- The Reds went 18-9 in June, their highest victory total in any month since June 2014 (18-10).
Tonight’s Starter – #34 Connor Phillips, RHP
- Tonight is making his Major League debut after 66 minor league apps, including 65 starts…will be his 12th career appearance and 11th start above Class AA. Saturday was added to the roster as a substitute player after reliever RHP Fernando Cruz and starters RHP Hunter Greene, RHP Ben Lively & Brandon Williamson went on the COVID-19 injured list. Will become the sixth Reds pitcher this season to make his Major League debut in a start (Levi Stoudt, Brandon Williamson, Andrew Abbott, Lyon Richardson, Carson Spiers). Will become the 16th Reds player to make his Major League debut this season, the most of any team in the majors. Will become the 23rd rookie to appear in a game for the Reds, also the most of any team in the Major Leagues, and the 63rd Reds player overall. Prior to Saturday’s promotion went 4-5, 3.86 with 1 save in 24 starts and 1 relief appearance for Class AA Chattanooga and Class AAA Louisville. Was a non-roster invitee to 2023 Major League spring training camp. Began the season at Chattanooga (14gs, 2-2, 2.34)…on 6/28 was promoted to Louisville (11g, 10gs, 2-3, 4.69)…was his first stint at Class AAA. His fastball and slider are rated the best in the organization. Was selected by the Blue Jays in the 35th round of the June 2019 first-year player draft. Did not sign. • Was selected by the Mariners in Compensation Round B (64th overall) of the June 2020 first-year player draft…was signed by Derek Miller. On 3/29/22 was acquired by the Reds as the player to be named in the 3/14/22 trade in which the Reds sent to the Mariners 3B Eugenio Suárez and OF Jesse Winker for RHP Justin Dunn, OF Jake Fraley and minor league LHP Brandon Williamson. In 2019 graduated from Magnolia West High School in Magnolia, Texas, where as a senior he was the district’s Most Valuable Player while a second-team All-State selection…played 1 season, in 2020, at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas. 6-2, 209…born in Houston, TX…resides in Magnolia, TX.
