Brady's Spin: It's Fair to Question Mariners Manager Dan Wilson on His Lineup on Wednesday
This just might be the first second-guessing of the Dan Wilson-era in Seattle.
As the Mariners get set to take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon, Wilson has assembled a very interesting lineup that is sure to raise questions.
.@jp_crawford returns to the lineup! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/roJi3s3aol
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 28, 2024
On the positive front, it's great to see J.P. Crawford back in the lineup. He's been out since the end of July with a broken pinky and should help stabilize things defensively for Seattle. Furthermore, him being back can allow Dylan Moore to go back into a more utility role, though Moore is starting on Wednesday.
That said, by bringing Crawford back and inserting him into the lineup immediately, the team is relegating Leo Rivas to the bench. Rivas been excellent for Seattle, hitting .270 overall. He's hitting .348 over the last seven days. Is the team necessarily better by removing Rivas right away?
That is worth a question, but the bigger question remains the lineup structure more than anything. Crawford, although a team leader, is hitting just .204 this season. Can the team really afford to have him and a slumping Julio Rodriguez at the top of the order in games they desperately need to win?
Victor Robles, who had been hitting leadoff, is hitting .320 over the last seven games. He's now relegated to the nine spot. Hopefully he can provide some life to the bottom of the order, but this will certainly be something worth monitoring.
The Mariners and Rays will finish out the series at 1:10 p.m. PT. Luis Castillo will pitch for Seattle against Drew Rasmussen, who will serve as an opener.
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