Mariners notes: Seattle drops series despite Rodriguez’s return, Haniger’s hit streak

When Scott Servais sat down to set Friday night’s lineup for a series opener at Texas, the first name penciled was one Seattle’s manager hadn’t written since July 30.

He was out nearly two weeks after being hit on the wrist by a pitch versus Houston – and was eligible to come off the injured list Wednesday – but Julio Rodriguez, Seattle’s All-Star rookie, was finally back.

Rodriguez looked at Friday night’s card, arguably Seattle’s most complete lineup of the year. Both he and Mitch Haniger were in the outfield together for the first time since April. Servais argued it was the healthiest the team had been all season.

“Yeah, this is a really good lineup,” Rodriguez thought. “I was excited. I was excited for this game today, excited to be back, but really excited to be playing with everybody.”

Rodriguez flew out to right field as Friday’s leadoff hitter, but singled in the third. His two-run single in the fourth plated the game’s winning runs before Seattle added on in Friday’s series-opening 6-2 win over the Rangers.

Rodriguez would walk later in the eighth, and starter George Kirby lasted 5 ⅔ innings, scattering seven hits and two earned runs. He “wasn’t the sharpest” manager Scott Servais had seen him, nor did he possess the “crispest stuff,” but Kirby “made pitches” and “hung in there.”

“Awesome start to this series, obviously,” Servais began after Friday night’s win. “Our lineup looks a little bit different these days with all of the guys back in it.

“You saw that tonight.”

Before the weekend series in Texas, Seattle took two of three from New York through Wednesday at T-Mobile Park, including an instant-classic extra-innings win Tuesday night.

Seattle won Friday’s series opener in Texas but lost a pair of games to finish the weekend. The Rangers erased a three-run deficit and pounced on starter Marco Gonzales for a four-run fourth, eventually winning Saturday, 7-4.

Logan Gilbert walked four and struck out five in Sunday’s 5-3 loss, surrendering three runs over six innings. Seattle led early in that game, too, but failed to score after the sixth inning as Texas eked ahead in the seventh.

“Logan’s never going to (have) pinpoint command. He has stuff,” Servais said, “and they were on him. ... They were on the fastball.”

At 3-3 for the week, the Mariners are 62-54. Of three American League wild card allocations, Seattle remains in sole possession of the second. Seattle trails Toronto (61-52) by one-half game for the first allocation, and lead the Rays (60-53), in third place, by one-half game.

The Mariners are two games ahead of Minnesota (58-54) – the first team out. Baltimore (59-55) and Chicago (59-56) are not far behind.

“The middle of (the Rangers) lineup gave us trouble here all series,” Servais told reporters Sunday. “They swung the bat well. In previous series against them, we’ve been able to shut them down, and it just didn’t happen down here.”

HANIGER’S HIT STREAK

Perhaps no defensive gem of the series was better than Mitch Haniger’s catch-turned-double-play in the second inning of Friday’s win at Texas, helping George Kirby post a pair of scoreless frames.

When Rangers center fielder Leody Taveras rifled Kirby’s first-pitch fastball to right field, Haniger bolted for the warning track at Globe Life Field. He wasn’t sure whether he’d need to play the ball off of the wall, at first, but soon realized the projectile’s low trajectory.

“I think it (had) top-spin a little bit,” Haniger said, “so it gave me a chance to get there.”

Haniger jumped, making the catch in mid-air, surely robbing extra bases. Nathaniel Lowe, standing on first base prior to Taveras’ flyout, had blown through second, yet to tag.

“As soon as you make a play like that on the run, your first thought is to throw behind (the runner). … You just try to go behind him,” Haniger said.

He turned and rifled a 96.2-mph laser to first baseman Ty France, who doubled up Lowe.

“It was important to me, for when I came back, to be serviceable,” Haniger told reporters. “And not just be gimping out there, because that can change the whole game if I can’t make a play like that.”

Haniger refused to define his early-August return as “waiting,” instead defining a recent rehab assignment with High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma as “making sure I was back to my normal self.” Early on with the Rainiers, Haniger felt pain in his ankle while playing outfield, and his confidence “wasn’t there,” he admitted.

Though as Haniger built up time on defense, he discovered progress on a daily basis. Soon enough, he called his agent and notified Rainiers manager Tim Federowicz – it was time to return to the major leagues.

“People say, ‘well if you just give us 80 percent of you.’ But that’s how you get hurt again,” Haniger said. “If I try to come back any earlier, there’s a good chance I get hurt. There’s a good chance I re-aggravate it, and it takes longer.”

Haniger’s fifth-inning single in Sunday’s loss scored Dylan Moore and extended the 31-year-old’s hit streak to 11 games, the fifth double-digit hitting streak of his career. Haniger is 16-for-40 (.400) with six runs, two homers, and five RBI throughout the stretch.

“It’s been fun,” he said. “The results aren’t always going to be there, but I’m a big believer of the process, and making sure my mind’s right at the plate, knowing what I want. It’s been good to come back and have success right off the bat, for sure.”

ROSTER MOVES

Julio Rodriguez and catcher Curt Casali (right oblique strain) joined the Mariners ahead of Friday’s series opener with the Rangers. In a corresponding move, Seattle optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic back to the Rainiers after a 2-for-27 stretch since being recalled July 31.

Out of minor league options, catcher Luis Torrens was designated for assignment. The Mariners don’t expect him to clear waivers.

“Personally, I don’t think (Luis) will clear waivers,” Servais told reporters. “I think with the state of catching, and teams looking for help this time of year… I think he ends up back in the big leagues. But if it doesn’t happen, I’d love to have him back in Tacoma.”

Seattle designated Ken Giles for assignment on Friday. With Giles out of minor league options, the move ended a near-two-season tenure that saw the 31-year-old reliever throw only 4 ⅓ innings in a Seattle uniform.

Giles signed a two-year contract with Seattle in Feb. 2021 shortly after undergoing ‘Tommy John’ surgery, which nullified that entire season. He made his Mariners debut on June 21, appearing in five total games.

“Serious injury he was trying to come back from,” Servais said of Giles, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation on July 9. “Little bit of a gamble on our side. You never know how bullpens are going to work out.

“We’re at full-strength right now. Opportunity-wise, maybe not there, certainly the opportunity that Ken was looking for. (After) conversations with him and his agent and Jerry and the front office, he wants to pitch in the big leagues, and we just don’t have that opportunity right now.”

On Saturday, Seattle reinstated outfielder Taylor Trammell from the 10-day injured list (right hamstring strain) and optioned him to Triple-A Tacoma.

Trammell completed a rehab assignment with the Rainiers on Friday and will remain with the club, given Saturday’s news. Across eight games on the assignment from July 31-Aug. 12, the 24-year-old hit .367 (11-for-30) with a pair of doubles and home runs.

SHORT HOPS

– Friday’s win at Texas marked Scott Servais’ 500th career win as Seattle’s manager.

His response?

“It’s hard to do, first of all, and not get fired in this game,” Servais said with a laugh. “It happens. It’s a credit to our players. I said that to them, and they dumped the Gatorade on me.

“It’ll always be about the players. As the manager, you really appreciate what they do. … [Third base coach] Manny Acta has been with me for all 500, and [general manager] Jerry Dipoto. Thank you.”

Servais paused. He was emotional, as another word may have choked Seattle’s manager up.

“I love my job,” he continued. “I really do. We’ve got a lot of big games ahead of us, and I’m looking forward to a little more celebrations when we get into October. I won my first game in Texas, and I won my 500th game here. And there’s been a lot of stuff in between.”

ON DECK

Seattle continues their three-city, nine-game road trip with stops in Anaheim (Aug. 15-17) and Oakland (Aug. 19-21) for three-game bouts with the Angels and Athletics. The Mariners have an off-day on Thursday.

“We’ve got to regroup, go over to Anaheim, and get back on track offensively,” Servais said Sunday. “Obviously, today was a struggle. ... We struck out too much. It really stalls rallies.”