Seattle Mariners Fans Once Again Question Manager Scott Servais After Latest Loss
The Seattle Mariners lost to the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night, marking the second consecutive game that they have lost against the sub-.500 squad.
With the losses, three straight in total, Seattle is now 59-56 and 0.5 games back of the Houston Astros in the American League West. They'll look to avoid getting swept - at home - on Thursday.
For the second consecutive night, Mariners fans and personalities on social media were left questioning a late-game decision by manager Scott Servais, and his post-game rationale.
On Tuesday, they were upset about the decision to pinch-hit Mitch Garver with two outs in the ninth inning, and on Wednesday, they were upset by bullpen usage in the ninth inning.
To reset the situation, the Mariners trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Cal Raleigh hit a would-be go-ahead homer but it was robbed on an incredible play by Parker Meadows to end the inning. Trailing 3-2 in the top of the ninth, the M's elected to go to reliever Jonathan Hernandez, who was just claimed off waivers.
M's fans would have rather seen closer Andres Munoz or elite set-up man Yimi Garcia get the ball in the ninth inning to keep it at 3-2, but instead Hernandez and Trent Thornton gave up three runs to push the deficit to 6-2.
Here is some of the discourse about the subject from M's fans/personalities, including Ty Dane Gonzalez of "Locked On Mariners."
arguably scott's biggest flaw as an in-game manager is playing for the inning/situation that doesn't exist. happened again tonight. you can't keep saving guys for a theoretical moment. https://t.co/IsfqDok26r
— Ty Dane Gonzalez (@TyDaneGonzalez) August 8, 2024
Fans were also dissatisfied Servais's reasoning behind the whole thing:
And follows up by saying the other guys in the pen are major leaguers who should be able to get outs and the bullpen didn’t do their job tonight.
— Peter Chiappinelli (@PeterMillerC) August 8, 2024
I am a big Servais guy but my god this is a bad, bad answer. https://t.co/aSptJj1RDr
The Mariners still have 47 games to play, but they can ill-afford questionable decisions and questionable performances at this time of the year.
Thursday's game begins at 6:40 p.m. PT.
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