Mariners Game #133 Preview and Discussion, 8/25/26: SEA vs. PHI

After getting smacked around by the Cubs on Sunday, the Mariners smacked around the Phillies on Monday night. Cal Raleigh hit three home runs, and Julio and Cole Young each got one as well. It was a lot of fun, which was much needed after the last… five months or so. They'll look to keep it going.

George Kirby gets the ball. He's hoping to bounce back from a pair of true clunkers his last turns out. I've written so many times that it's been a weird season for Kirby, but that's a lot different from "it's been a bad season," because even though that's been true at times, he's turned in several excellent performances. The Mariners will certainly hope that's the case today.

Facing him will be Austin Nola 's brother, Aaron. "It's been a bad season" does largely apply here, for the second year in a row. He's still a former ace — and not just in the way people say "ace" to mean good — so the Mariners will have to show up, as they say. But for a lineup looking to stay hot, the guy with -32 run value allowed on the fastball ( which appears to be pretty close to a record in the Statcast era ) figures to be as a good a choice as any for a tee.