In our Sunday inside baseball page, we review the week that was, highlighting key trends with the Mariners and ranking the top teams around the league.
Stat of the week
88
Cal Raleigh hit his 88th career home run Thursday at Oakland, tying his new manager, Dan Wilson, for the most home runs by a catcher in Mariners history. Raleigh needs four homers to match Mike Piazza (1992-95) for the most homers by a catcher in his first four MLB seasons.
Who’s hot
Victor Robles is hitting .400 (20-for-50) in his past 15 games, posting a 1.016 OPS with 11 runs, five doubles, one run and six steals in that span.
Who’s not
Jorge Polanco entered Saturday in a 3-for-47 slump.
Prospect watch
After back-to-back rough starts in early August, Emerson Hancock has a 2.60 ERA in his past five starts for Triple-A Tacoma. It’s been a solid season overall for the 25-year-old right-hander, who has a 3.43 ERA in 17 starts in Triple-A. In nine starts for Seattle, Emerson has a 4.76 ERA over 45 1/3 innings.
Ex-Mariner of the week
The Astros improved to 7-0 in Yusei Kikuchi’s seven starts with Houston with an 11-5 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday. Houston acquired Kikuchi from Toronto at the trade deadline in a deal widely criticized at the time as an overpay by the Astros. Kikuchi has a 3.07 ERA in those seven starts with the Astros.
Power rankings
MLB’s definitive top-10 rankings, from The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude
1. Dodgers (84-57)
Teoscar Hernandez will look to avoid the IL after getting hit by a pitch on his foot Friday.
2. Phillies (85-56)
Philly is comfortably up in the NL East, but race with Dodgers for NL’s No. 1 seed (and home-field advantage) could come down to the final days of the regular season.
3. Yankees (82-60)
For as great as Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has been, Aaron Judge is running away with the AL MVP award. His numbers are just staggering: 51 HR, .323 average, 1.157 OPS, 215 wRC+.
4. Orioles (82-60)
Baltimore’s been mostly a middling team lately: They’re 24-23 in the second half after a 7-1 loss to the Rays on Saturday.
5. Guardians (81-60)
Former Wazzu star Kyle Manzardo, a top prospect, hit the first two home runs of his career last Sunday in his first game since being recalled from Triple-A.
6. Brewers (81-60)
Willy Adames has hit so many three-run homers that Brewers broadcasters have started calling him Steph Curry (you know, because he’s drilling so many “threes”). Adames hit his 29th homer on his 29th birthday Monday, and he has 13 three-run homers — tying Ken Griffey Jr. (1996) for the most three-run homers in any season in MLB history. Adames, a veteran shortstop, figures to be one of the most coveted free agents this winter.
7. Padres (81-62)
San Diego might be the sleeper pick to win the NL. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Yu Darvish have returned from the IL, and the Padres are 31-12 since July 20.
8. Astros (76-65)
Things looking up in Houston: Kyle Tucker is back after a three-month IL stint, and the Astros outscored the Diamondbacks 19-5 in their first two games this weekend.
9. Diamondbacks (79-63)
Since Aug. 1, Corbin Carroll is slashing .280/.350/.632 (.982 OPS) with a 161 wRC+ (100 is average).
10. Mets (77-64)
The Mets won their ninth straight game on Saturday, but they have lost the hot-hitting Jeff McNeil to a season-ending broken wrist.
Note: Records through Friday’s games
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