The strength of the friendship threw Seattle, the Mariners lost 3-1

The atmosphere inside the Mariners clubhouse today was quiet. Last night’s news that Ty France was in an undrafted free zone came as a shock to many in the organization. No one was very specific about this, and if you asked them they would give the correct answers – “baseball is a business” and “that’s just the way it is sometimes” – but the atmosphere was not real.

Ty, despite his struggles since his 2022 All-Star campaign, has been a leader and a valuable member of the clubhouse since entering that historic trade that helped healer Andrés Muñoz. His amiable personality and lovable smile cemented his status as the team’s (not Tucker’s) golden salesman.

A highlight is his friendship with shortstop JP Crawford. The couple has been separated for the past few years. Their friendship and obvious mutual happiness has been a constant source of serotonin for Mariners fans.

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Before tonight’s game, Ty had a mature view of his situation, telling the media “you can play every scenario in your head, but you never know what’s going to happen… I’m just waiting to see what happens. I’ll know where I’ll be tomorrow.” With that attitude, he seemed to see T-Mobile Park in a new light. In fact, as before the game he took reps at shortstop, second base, and threw the pitch from the mound.Hanging close to his friend JP the whole way.

Combined with Julio’s unclear status after leaving yesterday’s game, Ty’s situation was enough to put a serious damper on the Mariners today.

And it didn’t get any better during the game. After Bryce Miller worked the first fastball, JP stepped up to the plate to lead things off for the M. And he blasted an 86 mph changeup in his right hand. Despite his obvious pain, the team chose to keep him in the game, and he was able to score the Mariners’ only goal off a Cal Raleigh single. But then he walked straight into the dugout and into the clubhouse. Dylan Moore replaced him for a while, and Luke Raley came in to take over. We found out post game that JP broke the hairline of his right pinkie.

For the rest of the game, the Mariners were almost completely shut down on the bases. They threatened to consider forming a committee to consider the possibility of presenting a proposal to merge the sixth column when Robles and Cal arrived at the center. But with two outs, Mitch Garver hit a triple to end the inning. Except for a Clase infield single in the eighth, no Mariner could reach base all night.

It was not like that with the Angels. In the top of the eighth, Ryne Stanek was relieved. He immediately walked the first two batters he faced before hitting Nolan Schanuel. Andrés Muñoz entered his spot, but was unable to prevent a run that forced a hit after a double steal and a sac fly.

But he escaped the eighth. Thornton replaced Muñoz in the top of the ninth, and the young arm found himself struggling with, what else, walking two batters. With two on and two out, Jo Adell came to the plate and hit a ground ball that had just reached Polanco. One run scored easily, and Cal’s incredible arm allowed one run in, making it 3-1 Angels. Angels closer Carlos Estévez came on in the bottom of the ninth and got the Mariners 1-2-3 with just 9 pitches. A football game.

After the game, Scott Servais said the team should stop giving away football games. “You have to go get it … you have to stay on the attack. If you guard yourself, if you don’t always have an aggressive mind, if you are afraid of losing it: you will lose. ” He also called the team, saying that there is someone – or several people – who must enter the clubhouse and lead the club forward. starter Bryce Miller.

Miller, who pitched 7 scoreless innings tonight, said the team is putting a lot of emphasis on individual plays, individual at-bats, individual pitches. He continued, “I wish we could go out and play and just have fun. No one is having fun right now. ”

That’s what’s really lost today, more than a game. Just 3 years ago, this group worked in a pleasant contrast. Go out and play football for the love of the game, play freely, play easily, and win close games. And now with Ty cleaning out his locker, JP’s finger is broken, and Julio – the man who loves baseball more than anyone in the world – there’s no fun in the clubhouse.

And more than tonight’s game, that’s the real loss.

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