SEATTLE MARINERS NEWS

Chris Flexen - Notches eighth win Thursday Flexen (8-9) got the win in extra innings over the Rangers on Thursday, allowing an unearned run over one inning without any hits, walks or strikeouts.

Impact Flexen gave up a sacrifice fly to Marcus Semien that plated phantom runner Leody Taveras with the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th, but the Mariners walked it off in the home half of the frame with singles from Luis Torrens and J.P. Crawford. The veteran right-hander's last win had come July 25 against this same Rangers squad when he was still working as a starter, yet Flexen has adapted well to a relief role by not allowing an earned run across the 9.2 innings covering his last eight appearances.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

J.P. Crawford - Game-winning knock in extras Crawford went 1-for-5 with a game-winning infield single and a walk in an extra-innings victory over the Rangers on Thursday.

Impact Crawford rapped out a sharp liner that caromed off the glove of third baseman Josh Jung into short left field to plate Dylan Moore with the winning run in the 11th inning. It's been a productive week thus far on the RBI front for the veteran shortstop, as he's knocked in four runs over the last five games to get within four of the second-highest total of his career in that category (46).

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Guardians Wild Card Series roster projection: Curiosity at catcher Who will occupy the 26 spots on the club’s roster for its first-round series against, in all likelihood, the Rays or Mariners?

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

MLB magic numbers, schedules: Mariners almost there; Blue Jays clinch; Brewers miss opportunity (9/30/22) This year’s MLB postseason begins with best-of-three Wild Card Series from Oct. 7-9 in each the higher seed will host all games. Two clubs f...

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • NJ.COM

Mariners take on the Athletics in first of 3-game series

The Seattle Mariners begin a three-game series at home against the Oakland Athletics on Friday

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mariners' rally puts them on precipice of first postseason berth since 2001 It has been 7,647 days since Seattle last appeared in the postseason. The Mariners are now on the verge of it.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Semien hits 2 of Rangers' 5 homers in loss to Seattle SEATTLE -- The Rangers are counting on Jon Gray to be a top-of-the-rotation horse for years to come. And when he’s been healthy, the hard-th...

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • MLB.COM

Jesse Winker - Scores once in return Winker went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored in Thursday's 10-9 extra-innings win over the Rangers.

Impact Winker drew a walk in the fourth inning and scored on a Jarred Kelenic home run. Later in the contest, Carlos Santana pinch hit for Winker. It's been a rough September for the 29-year-old, as he's gone just 8-for-47 (.170) with a solid 12:13 BB:K through 18 contests. He's at a .218/.343/.339 slash line with 13 homers, 50 RBI, 49 runs scored and 15 doubles through 134 games overall.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mariners outlast Rangers, drop magic number to one to end postseason drought And now the number is one.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Mariners outlast Rangers in 11, close in on playoff berth

Mitch Haniger and Jarred Kelenic both homered twice, J

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Abraham Toro - Logs second steal Toro stole a base as a pinch runner in Thursday's 10-9 extra-innings win over the Rangers.

Impact Toro swiped third base in the 10th inning but was left aboard. It was just his second steal in 104 contests this season after he swiped six bags in 95 games in 2021. The 25-year-old infielder has added a .183/.238/.320 slash line, nine home runs, 30 RBI, 34 runs scored, 13 doubles and a triple while slipping into a reserve role since Eugenio Suarez returned from the injured list.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Dylan Moore - Reaches 20-steal plateau Moore went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Thursday's 10-9 extra-innings win over the Rangers.

Impact Moore hit a leadoff single in the 11th inning, then later stole third and scored the winning run on a J.P. Crawford single. In 10 games since he returned from an oblique injury, Moore has racked up five steals to get to 20 for the year. He's one away from his career high set in 2021, though it's taken him just 99 contests this year compared to 126 last season. The utility man has added a .219/.363/.385 slash line, six home runs, 21 RBI and 37 runs scored through 238 plate appearances.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jarred Kelenic - Homers twice in win Kelenic went 2-for-5 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Rangers in extra innings.

Impact Kelenic has made the most of his last week, going 8-for-27 (.296) with three long balls, five RBI and seven runs scored across seven games. He went deep in the fourth and sixth innings to establish a three-run lead for the Mariners, though it didn't hold up in the end. Kelenic's season line is still at .157/.222/.357 with seven homers, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored and five stolen bases through 153 plate appearances, but the recent returns are encouraging. His run as the Mariners' everyday center fielder will likely end when Julio Rodriguez (back) is activated from the injured list, but the hot bat could help Kelenic force his way into the lineup in left field or at designated hitter.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Mitch Haniger - Slugs two homers Haniger went 2-for-5 with a pair of two-run home runs in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Rangers in extra innings.

Impact Haniger accounted for the Mariners' first four runs, homering in the first and third innings. He's produced multiple hits in four of his last seven games, but the power show is encouraging after he went 25 contests without a homer. The right fielder is up to nine long balls, 31 RBI, 27 runs scored and a .239/.301/.405 slash line through 52 games this year.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Marco Gonzales - Hit hard in no-decision Gonzales allowed four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four over five innings in a no-decision versus the Rangers on Thursday.

Impact Gonzales gave up loud contact in the third inning, as Sam Huff, Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia all tagged him for home runs. This was the third time in five September starts Gonzales has yielded multiple homers. He didn't pick up a win this month and saw his ERA rise from 3.99 to 4.14 for the year. He's added a 98:48 K:BB and 1.33 WHIP through 176 innings spanning 31 starts. Gonzales is projected for one more regular-season start, a favorable matchup versus the Tigers, but it's unclear if he'll work as a starter in the playoffs.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

GAME PREVIEW: Rangers Seek Series Win Texas continues its six-game, two-city road trip with the final game of a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Carlos Santana - Heads to bench Thursday Santana is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers.

Impact Santana started the past 17 games and posted an .804 OPS with seven home runs and 15 RBI during that stretch, though he's 2-for-25 over Seattle's last seven contests. Jesse Winker will serve as the designated hitter Thursday after sitting out a couple games with a wrist issue.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jesse Winker - Returns to lineup Thursday Winker (wrist) is starting Thursday against the Rangers.

Impact Winker sat out the last two games due to a bruised left wrist, but he'll serve as the designated hitter and bat sixth Thursday. Over his last five games, he's gone 3-for-11 with two runs, two RBI, two walks and four strikeouts.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Julio Rodríguez - Returning to baseball activities Rodriguez (back) is slated to return to baseball activities Thursday and continues to aim for activation Monday when first eligible, Brandon Gustafson of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.

Impact The news comes directly from general manager Jerry Dipoto, who's lending further credence to the possibility of Rodriguez missing the minimal amount of time required by his IL stint. Dipoto added the decision to sideline Rodriguez temporarily was mostly precautionary, and the outfielder has reported feeling better each day thus far. The star rookie's ability to get some at-bats in over the final days of the regular season before the Mariners' expected wild-card series would naturally be a benefit for his timing at the plate, and it would serve as a platform to further corroborate his back is at full health.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ty France - Continues late-season surge in win France went 2-for-4 with two runs in a win over the Rangers on Wednesday.

Impact France joined Eugenio Suarez as the only other Mariner with multiple knocks in the low-scoring win. It was France's third multi-hit tally in the last four games alone, and he's now sporting a .304 average and .865 OPS over his last 14 games, a span during which he's also laced six extra-base hits (three doubles, one triple, two home runs), garnered 10 RBI and scored 11 runs.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Eugenio Suárez - Three-hit night in win Suarez went 3-for-3 with an RBI double and a walk in a win over the Rangers on Wednesday.

Impact Suarez served in the DH role for the second time in as many games following his return from the injured list, and he was the Mariners' most productive hitter on the night overall. The veteran's first-inning double erased an early 1-0 deficit by plating Dylan Moore, while the multi-hit effort was his first since Sept. 11. Suarez's 85 RBI are also his best showing in that category since 2019, and he's now sporting a 97-point improvement over his 2021 OPS of .714.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Partner Content | Top MLB prop picks September 29: Mariners' Eugenio Suarez should stay hot It’s a slightly skinnier MLB slate on Thursday, with 10 of 30 teams taking the night off.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • THESTAR.COM

Mariners and Rangers play to determine series winner

The Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers meet on Thursday with the winner claiming the three-game series

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paul Sewald - Notches save No. 20 Sewald picked up a save against the Rangers on Wednesday with a perfect ninth inning.

Impact Sewald enjoyed one of his easiest and quickest saves this season, retiring all three batters he faced on just five combined pitches. The right-hander reached the 20-save mark for the first time in his career with his first save since Sept. 10. Sewald's strikeout rate has dropped a bit in 2022 compared to last season, but he's posting career-best marks with a 2.45 ERA and 0.74 WHIP.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

George Kirby - Stymies Rangers in victory Kirby (8-4) earned the win over Texas on Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out four batters over six innings.

Impact Kirby got off to a rough start when he allowed two hits and a run in the first inning, but he found his footing from there and didn't allow any more Rangers to cross the plate. The rookie finished with his third quality start over his past four outings and notched his sixth win in 12 starts since the All-Star break. Over that stretch, he's posted a 2.63 ERA and 66:10 K:BB across 61.2 innings. Kirby will likely make one more regular-season start, and his strong second half should earn him a spot in Seattle's playoff rotation in the likely event that the team qualifies.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE