The Seattle Mariners handed the Texas Rangers a 5-1 loss at Surprise Stadium on Friday in spring training play. Despite Evan Carter's 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Rangers could not overcome a sizable deficit. On the mound, Jack Leiter turned in a solid outing, working 3.2 innings of 2-run ball with four strikeouts. The Mariners out-hit the Rangers 11-7 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Rangers continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Evan Carter was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Rangers will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Tyler Wade provided support, going 2-for-3, Jake Snider also contributed, going 1-for-1 with a double, and Ezequiel Duran chipped in, going 1-for-2 with a double. The Rangers showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Cole Young led the Mariners offense with a 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI day. Brennen Davis also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Patrick Wisdom added a 2-for-4 with an RBI effort as well. The Mariners offense proved to be too much for the Rangers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Jack Leiter took the loss after battling through his outing, working 3.2 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits with four strikeouts. He threw 61 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.4 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out five. The Rangers continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Josh Sborz stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Mariners got on the board first with a run in the third inning. Mariners pushed across a run in the fourth. Mariners plated a run in the fifth. Mariners added two runs in the sixth. The Rangers responded with a run in the sixth. The Mariners were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Mariners out-hit the Rangers 11-7, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 8,861 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Rangers will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.