Mariners Game # 28 Preview: 4/27, Fish at Fishermen

Evans Almighty

The big story today is Logan Evans’s MLB debut. (In a corresponding move, Tayler Saucedo has been sent back to Tacoma.) Evans was drafted in the 12th round of the 2023 Draft, but has performed like a dude, not just a guy, seeing his stock skyrocket over the early months of last season. In January of last year, Lookout Landing had Evans in the intro/honorable mention part of our prospect rankings. But after a terrific 2024 (including an aborted attempt to turn him into a reliever), we ranked him as the team’s 13th best prospect entering this season.

Like seemingly every Mariners starter, Evans throws both a four-seamer and a two-seamer, which he uses along with a cutter to set up his sweeper (his best pitch) and his curveball and changeup (which are more there to complete the package). He doesn’t miss as many bats as the great starters, but he’s got good enough command to work with that.

Of concern, his velocity has dipped a couple ticks this season. Where last year, he sat 94-95, this year, that’s where he’s topping out. Could just be April, but it’s something to monitor.

Whatever happens today, his being called up as the second injury replacement starter reminds me a bit of when Bryan Woo was called up in 2023. It’s sooner than you’d do if you weren’t forced to, but there’s a liberation in that because it means he can’t really lose. We can just all enjoy a debut. At Lookout Landing, we love a debut (and we stan a rec specs king).

Lineups

The other big news of the day is that Rowdy Tellez, originally in the lineup, is a late scratch after taking a heater off the knuckles late in yesterday’s game. He was seen walking around the clubhouse with a plastic bag covering his hand, like David Duchovny’s character in Zoolander. Ben Williamson was also a late scratch, but we don’t know why yet. We will update when we know more with back spasms.

Game Info

First Pitch: 1:10 PT (4:10 in the civilized world)
TV: ROOT Sports, and the ROOT Sports App
Radio: Ol’ reliable

Captain’s Log

Dan Wilson said his message to Logan Evans was similar to the one he gave Ben Williamson when he was promoted, also on an emergency basis after Ryan Bliss’s season was cut short by a biceps tear.

“It’s a bigger stage, different stadium, different uniform, but it’s still the same game. And you don’t have to be something that you’re not. You don’t have to be better than you are. What got you here is going to keep you here. And I think that any time a player stays true to who he is as a player, that’s where he’s at his best, that’s really what he needs to go out and do, just go out and be Logan Evans, and he’s going to be in a good spot.”

This Day In Mariners History

• 2024: George Kirby deals on 90s Night, striking out 12 over seven innings. Get well soon, George. His twelfth victim was Forever Treasured Eugenio Suárez, so I’m going to embed a video of his historic feat from last night. I’m sure none of you will mind.