Former Seattle Mariners Reliever Earns Save to Send Detroit Tigers to ALDS
The Seattle Mariners are watching October baseball from home for the 22nd time in 23 years this offseason.
But that doesn't mean that there isn't some enjoyment to be had for Mariners fans.
Seattle got to see the Detroit Tigers eliminate its American League West rivals the Houston Astros on Wednesday with a 5-2 win in an American League Wild Card series.
Probably the most satisfying part for Mariners fans seeing the Astros get eliminated was the fact that it was a former Seattle reliever that dealt the final blow.
Will Vest threw against Houston in the ninth inning with Detroit up 5-2.
Vest earned the save and retired the side in order with one strikeout. It will be the first time Houston won't play in the American League Championship Series since 2016.
Wild Card sweep! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/Qq9Gz2f6pa
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) October 2, 2024
Vest pitched with the Mariners in 2021 and posted a 6.17 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 32 appearances. Vest was returned to the Tigers on July 17, 2021, and has transformed himself into one of the better bullpen arms in the league.
Vest posted a 2.82 ERA during the regular season with Detroit and struck out 63 batters in 70.1 innings pitched (69 appearances). Wednesday was Vest's first career postseason save.
Houston getting eliminated so soon into the playoffs doesn't help alleviate the disappointment Seattle fans felt missing out on the playoffs.
But there's some kind of irony that the Astros only played two more games than the Mariners and it was a former Seattle pitcher that dealt the final blow.
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