Seattle Mariners Fans React to Former Pitcher Starting on Sunday
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners will wrap up the first leg of a six-game homestead on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants.
Mariners fans have already seen multiple familiar faces on the Giants' dugout with Seattle native Blake Snell getting a start on Saturday and former team manager Bob Melvin as skipper for San Francisco.
But there's one more familiar face Seattle fans will get a chance to see in the rubber match on Sunday: former starter Robbie Ray.
The left-handed pitcher and former American League Cy Young award winner will get the start for the Giants in the rubber match.
Ray pitched for the Mariners from 2022-23. He missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery following his first start of that year.
Ray was traded to San Francisco on Jan. 5, 2024, in a deal that returned outfielder Mitch Haniger to Seattle.
Ray made his debut for the Giants on July 24 of this season and has started six games for them so far. He has a 4.88 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 27.2 innings pitched.
Mariners fans reacted on Sunday to seeing their former starter in action for the first time since being traded.
One fan in the "Real Seattle Mariners Fans" Facebook page said:
"WE GET TO SAY HI TO ROBBIE TODAY!!!"
Another said:
"I've missed the grunt after every pitch!"
Some of Ray's former Seattle teammates caught up with him before the first game of the series on Friday.
Former Seattle Mariners and current San Francisco pitcher Robbie Ray catching up with some former teammates before Friday’s game.#Mariners #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/DpUwu2eNOU
— Teren Kowatsch (@Teren_Kowatsch) August 23, 2024
Mariners manager Dan Wilson also commented on Ray before Sunday's game.
"These guys will know him pretty well," Wilson said. "Some of these guys have faced him several times. I think we expect more of the same from Robbie. He's going to be a tough at-bat. I think we were a little bit surprised (Saturday). Snell was a little bit more nimbly than we thought. But this is a good test for us. I think these guys are prepared. They're ready to roll with the gameplan we have in place."
It'll be interesting to see if Sunday ends up as the "Robbie Ray revenge game" or if Seattle can take advantage of that familiarity Wilson mentioned.
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TEREN KOWATSCH