Jake Mailhot

Can you imagine being mad about Julio Rodríguez playing on your baseball team? He's gone 20/20 in his first four seasons in the big league -- the only player to do that in MLB history. Oh, and he's arguably the best center fielder in the AL.

An enormous whale kite in the sky, like the Purrgils in Star Wars: Ahsoka, released in 2023.

Star Wars: Ahsoka (2023)

Same as my walk up music as a batter: The Muppets theme song. Imagine, the lights go out in the stadium, the music starts up.

“It’s time to light the lights”

Boom, the lights turn back on and I’m already on the mound warming up. The other team won’t know what hit them.

On one hand, it's probably a good thing there's only three MLB games scheduled today, because all the dugout hugs would disrupt pace of play. On the other hand, no hug watch this afternoon. 🤷‍♂️

Mid-summer Playoffs: Mariners vs. Rangers Series Preview The Mariners return home with a stronger lineup, just in time for a critical series against the Rangers.

The Mariners returned home with Eugenio Suárez on the team plane. He joins the team just in time for a critical series against the Rangers. It's a playoff-esque series in the middle of the summer! My series preview for @lookoutlanding.bsky.social: www.lookoutlanding.com/2025/7/31/24...

Yeah, I suspect they'll option Williamson this weekend to get Mastrobuoni back. But I'm not sure what they'll do when Raley gets back from his IL stint; he and Canzone are pretty redundant, and then Robles probably pushes one of those two off the roster completely. 🤷‍♂️ It's a good problem to have.

Getting Geno back in the M's lineup probably allows them to drop Crawford from leadoff. Against RHP, it should look like this:

CF Julio
C Raleigh
LF Arozarena
1B Naylor
3B Suárez
DH Polanco
RF Canzone
2B Young
SS Crawford

Get a lefty bat for the bench, and baby, you've got a stew going.

Both the D-Backs and A's are off tomorrow, but this very well could be!

Locklear being included after being called up today is legitimately funny. The Diamondbacks just arriving in Sacramento when this trade broke is legitimately funny. A lot of funny business!
bsky.app/profile/brax...

Also, mid-game breaking news is legitimately funny. Getting Geno back after salary dumping him a few years ago is legitimately funny. The Mariners do funny things!

[It's Happening.gif]

Cool! Now the M's won't have to run Gabe Speier into the ground.

YES

Ah, I thought he was a FA after this year. Last year of arb next year and FA in 2027. Good call.

I know he's not related, but Trevor Rogers is a likely trade candidate, too, right? Could be a trio of Rogers dealt this trade deadline!

Hot Hot Heat: Mariners at Athletics Series Preview The Mariners head to Sacramento for the final time this season.

After doing the M's a favor by sweeping the Astros last weekend, the A's will play host to the Mariners this week. Hopefully, they're still feeling generous towards Seattle's playoff plight. My series preview for @lookoutlanding.bsky.social: www.lookoutlanding.com/2025/7/28/24...

FanGraphs Power Rankings: 2025 Trade Deadline Edition The FanGraphs Power Rankings are back with a look at how things stand ahead of this week’s trade deadline.

After a week break, the @fangraphs.com Power Rankings are back.

1⃣ TOR (+1) #LightsUpLetsGo
2⃣ MIL (-1) #ThisIsMyCrew
3⃣ CHC (+1) #BeHereForIt
4⃣ NYM (+6) #LGM
5⃣ PHI (+3) #RingTheBell

Riser:
⬆️ TEX (+8) #AllForTX

Faller:
⬇️ STL (-7) #ForTheLou

Full rankings: blogs.fangraphs.com/fangraphs-po...

My friends and I just had a pop tart taste test the other day and the consensus best pick was A. C was a huge hit with the kids though.

José Soriano had 15 total whiffs tonight! 50% on the curve and slider, 43% on the splitter. That’s good! He had just 5 Ks in 6 innings and a 20.8% K%. That’s not as good!

José Soriano Can Get You to Whiff, but He Won’t Strike You Out The Angels righty has three elite bat-missing weapons, yet his strikeout rate is just 20%. What gives?

José Soriano is one of eight starting pitchers with two or more pitches with +40% whiff rates and one of 18 with three or more pitches with +30% whiff rates. Despite this bat-missing stuff, his strikeout rate is just 20%. Why? An investigation for @fangraphs.com: blogs.fangraphs.com/jose-soriano...

Giving up Ashton Izzi and Brandyn Garcia for Naylor is perfectly reasonable, especially with Kade Anderson likely on the fast track once he gets started up in pro ball next year.

Last year, the M’s struck early by acquiring Randy Arozarena before anything was really moving. They’re getting trade season started early again by nabbing Josh Naylor. Huge upgrade at 1B and doesn’t preclude them from getting Geno later this week either.

Crunch Time: Mariners at Angels Series Preview The Mariners head out on a big road trip beginning with a four-game series in Anahiem.

The M's have a critical stretch of 11 games against division foes leading into the trade deadline. It starts with a huge four-game series in Anahiem. My series preview for @lookoutlanding.bsky.social: www.lookoutlanding.com/2025/7/24/24...

If the Blue Jays had acquired one of them, then maybe?

I always figured it was part of a sneaky plan to hoodwink someone at the trade deadline:
M's: "Sure, we'll trade J-Rod 😜"
Rockies: "Great, you can draw up the paperwork!"
M's: "HA! You didn't specify the middle initial! Gotcha!"

Alas, that dream is dead.

Watch out! That’s the wrong Julio Rodriguez, Royals!
bsky.app/profile/tran...

Something’s Brewing: Mariners vs. Brewers Series Preview The Brewers, the hottest team in baseball, are in Seattle this week.

Fresh off a big series win, the Mariners have some momentum heading into a series against the hottest team in baseball, the Brewers. There are some juicy pitching matchups this week, too. My series preview for @lookoutlanding.bsky.social: www.lookoutlanding.com/2025/7/21/24...

The real question is who is Cal Raleigh's Waluigi? It's probably Dillon Dingler.

Into the Fire: Mariners vs. Astros Series Preview The Mariners begin the second half of the season with a huge series against the Astros.

For the third time in four years, the Mariners exit the All-Star break with a series against the Astros. Their record in those games? 1-5. Let's hope that trend is reversed this weekend. My series preview for @lookoutlanding.bsky.social: www.lookoutlanding.com/2025/7/18/24...

I really hope his audition was just him saying variations on "hup" "hiyyaaaa" "heut" "shawww" etc. No line reads needed.