For the first time all year, Randy Arozarena was suddenly the Mariners\u2019 leadoff hitter, with Cal Raleigh switching places with Julio Rodr\u00edguez at No. 2 and No. 3, followed with either Naylor or Su\u00e1rez hitting fourth depending on which hand the opposing starting pitcher throws with.<\/p>\n
It was an interesting, somewhat out-of-the-box idea.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s not working. At least not anymore.<\/p>\n
The Mariners have more or less stuck to this lineup since July 31. In those games, they\u2019re 16-13. But it started with a 10-1 run following the emotional high of their big trade deadline, and particularly the reunion with Su\u00e1rez.<\/p>\n
Since that hot streak, though, the Mariners are just 6-12. And in that swoon, they\u2019ve scored more than four runs in a game just five times.<\/p>\n
Some credit for Seattle\u2019s recent troubles could probably be assigned to tough travel \u2013 on Tuesday, they\u2019ll play their 14th of 18 games in the Eastern time zone since Aug. 12 \u2013 because they have sure looked tired when out on the road in the past month. But wheeling out the same lineup more or less through the struggles can\u2019t be helping.<\/p>\n
It also doesn\u2019t help that it seems Seattle\u2019s preferred top of the batting order is flawed \u2013 at least based on the returns since the Mariners switched things up at the end of July.<\/p>\n
Arozarena doesn\u2019t seem to work as the leadoff man. In the 29 games since moving to the top of the order, he\u2019s slashing just .225\/.295\/.400 for a .695 OPS. To be fair, that\u2019s been helped out some by his last eight games (.324\/.361\/.618, .982 OPS), but he\u2019s been better overall this year hitting third, fourth or fifth.<\/p>\n
Raleigh hitting second, though, really isn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n
Yes, he\u2019s having an historic season, already breaking the record for home runs by a catcher in a single season, with the switch-hitter and Mariners team homer records also in his sights. But he\u2019s clearly being worn down by his herculean workload. And when he\u2019s not the Greatest Hitting Catcher of All-Time, which he was in the first half of the season but hasn\u2019t been in the second half, he doesn\u2019t make sense hitting second in the lineup.<\/p>\n
Since the Mariners planted Raleigh in the No. 2 spot on July 31, Raleigh\u2019s slash line is .189\/.312\/.472 for a .784 OPS. And he\u2019s been trending to roughly those same numbers over his last 58 games (dating back to June 25), during which he has a .191\/.310\/.460 slash for a .770 OPS.<\/p>\n
Before Raleigh\u2019s downturn started, he had a .281\/.386\/.667 slash line on the season for a 1.053 OPS. Entering play Tuesday, it\u2019s down to .243\/.354\/.667 for a .932 OPS.<\/p>\n
OK, so what are the solutions?<\/p>\n
I\u2019d start with bringing Julio Rodr\u00edguez back up to the top of the order, either hitting leadoff or second. He\u2019s been on fire for nearly two months, slashing .307\/.347\/.603 for a .951 OPS in 44 games since July 12. He just ended a seven-game hit streak, and has raised his slash on the season from .244\/.301\/.386 (.687 OPS) on July 10 to .264\/.316\/.459 (.776 OPS) entering Tuesday.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a hitter you should be getting as many plate appearances as possible.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, putting Raleigh and Arozarena\u2019s more all-or-nothing approaches into traditional run-producing spots in the middle of the order \u2013 I\u2019d go Raleigh fourth, Arozarena fifth \u2013 seems like the ticket. Getting Raleigh off his feet whenever possible wouldn\u2019t be a bad idea either, which the M\u2019s can do now by making him the designated hitter more often while having both Mitch Garver and the recently called-up Harry Ford available to catch.<\/p>\n
For now, returning J.P. Crawford to the leadoff spot with Rodr\u00edguez hitting second would make sense. especially since Crawford is always good for an on-base mark that easily clears .300. More permanently, Victor Robles \u2013 who was Seattle\u2019s planned leadoff man when the season began \u2013 probably should be back atop the order when he returns from his suspension Saturday.<\/p>\n
Seattle also has a lot of good, middle of the order-type hitters to work with now, so there\u2019s plenty of opportunity to get creative and ride the hot hands. Su\u00e1rez has been swinging well, so why not give him some at-bats hitting third? Move Jorge Polanco up while he\u2019s in a good place. Try Naylor near the top of the order if the pitching matchup is good for him.<\/p>\n
The Mariners need to find a way to inject some energy into what looks like a tired ball club. Shaking up a lineup that has been stale for a while seems like an easy and obvious thing to try.<\/p>\n
Seattle (73-65) remains in playoff position<\/a> despite its recent road struggles, but the Texas Rangers (72-67) are breathing down their necks for the American League\u2019s last wild card. At the same time, the Houston Astros (76-62) are still within striking distance in the AL West.<\/p>\n The Mariners have come up just short of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. They need to try whatever they can to avoid that happening again \u2013 especially since the AL is wide open this year, and the top end of Seattle\u2019s rotation gives the M\u2019s as much chance of doing serious damage in the postseason format as any team in the league.<\/p>\n More on the Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Seattle Mariners call up top prospect Harry Ford, release Solano<\/a>
\u2022 A good sign Jorge Polanco is showing at the plate<\/a>
\u2022 How players Mariners traded have fared since deadline<\/a>
\u2022 Mariners\u2019 prospect Colt Emerson has first two-homer game<\/a>
\u2022 Seattle Mariners\u2019 Naylor right at home hitting in T-Mobile Park<\/a><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/SeattleSportsEmail-830x100-1.jpg\")
\t