Where Mariners land in latest MLB power rankings

It’s only April 8, and the season is just 11 games old. There are months and months of baseball to be played. If this were an NFL season, we’d still be reacting to the first game.

And yet, the first week couldn’t have gone a whole lot worse for the Seattle Mariners. They have scratched out 4 wins — nearly all in dramatic fashion. But familiar hitting woes and some inconsistent pitching and sloppy defense have put them in a tough spot to start the year. And now it appears they’ll be without leadoff hitter and starting right fielder Victor Robles for some time, after he landed on the IL with a shoulder injury (suffered on a catch-of-the-year nominee on Sunday).

The good news? There’s a lot of ball left to be played, and the starting pitching staff is still among the game’s very best.

For now, the Mariners have plummeted down power rankings across baseball.

Here’s where the Mariners landed in this week’s power rankings:

MLB.com: No. 22 (previously No. 17)

I know it has been everywhere all week, but still: It’s pretty wonderful that two Luis Castillos just pitched in the Mariners’ rotation. “I would always get tagged [as him] on Instagram,” said the Luis Castillo you know. They’d never met each other before, and if you were wondering, yes, the two Bobby Jones were teammates … for two different teams!

CBS Sports: No. 21 (previously No. 9)

They went 3-4 at home and then got swept — allowing two walkoffs — in San Francisco. We could elaborate, sure, but let’s just leave it as a pretty terrible start to the season for a hopeful contender with a new manager.

Bleacher Report: No. 20 (previously No. 10)

The best starting rotation in baseball a year ago is off to a rocky start this season with a 5.15 ERA and 2-5 record through 10 games, though an awful start from injury fill-in Emerson Hancock (0.2 IP, 7 H, 6 ER) did skew those numbers quite a bit. On a positive note, Julio Rodríguez (10 G, .870 OPS, 3 HR, 3 SB) is off to a productive start at the plate after struggling to get going early a year ago.

The Athletic: No. 15 (previously No. 12)

If the team is going to leverage its strong rotation, it will need (Julio) Rodríguez to be the perennial MVP candidate the franchise has been expecting for a couple years now. He’s making a difference by helping Mariners fans believe a rainbow might follow the 10-game season-opening downpour, and that’s about all they can ask for. Well, that and a pennant or two.

NBC Sports: No. 18 (previously No. 12)

Victor Robles might have made one of the best catches of all-time on Sunday. Unfortunately, he injured his shoulder in the process and could be looking at an extended absence.

USA Today: No. 18 (previously No. 15)

Offensive stat of the weak: DH Rowdy Tellez is 1-for-15 with five strikeouts and one walk.