Jacob deGrom dazzled over six innings and retired his first 15 batters faced, but a late bullpen collapse cost the Texas Rangers in a 4-3 defeat to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night at T-Mobile Park.
DeGrom Dominates Early Before Bullpen Falters
For fifteen straight hitters, the veteran right-hander carved through the Seattle lineup with precision. DeGrom needed 92 pitches—64 for strikes—to complete six dominant frames, allowing just one hit and zero walks while racking up a dozen strikeouts. The performance showcased peak velocity and command, lowering his season ERA to 3.80 in front of an announced attendance of 24,784 fans.
Texas provided early support. In the third inning, Joc Pederson launched a 385-foot home run to right-center field off Seattle starter Logan Gilbert, plating Nick Lopez to put the visitors ahead. Lopez added another run in the fifth by scampering home on a bunt single, pushing the lead to 3-0. Gilbert ultimately settled down to pitch 7.0 innings, yielding three runs on four hits while striking out 11 batters and walking two.
Seattle Capitalizes on Relief Trouble in the Seventh
The complexion of the contest shifted entirely in the seventh frame when Texas turned to its bullpen. Jakob Junis entered in relief and failed to record an out, getting charged with four earned runs on three hits without striking out a batter. Dominic Canzone initiated the rally with an RBI single to left field that scored Randy Arozarena.
With runners aboard, Rodríguez stepped to the plate and drove a 410-foot, three-run home run to left-center field off Junis, scoring Canzone and Cal Raleigh to flip a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 Seattle advantage. Relief pitchers Reiss Garcia and Ronel Ahlstrom later bridged the gap through the eighth, but the damage was done.
Standings and Late-Season Context
The loss drops the Texas Rangers’ record to 72-75 overall and 32-43 on the road, leaving them positioned second in the American League West. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners improved to 69-78 overall and 40-35 at home, sitting third in the division. Despite out-hitting Seattle through the early frames, Texas was held quiet down the stretch as Mariners closer Andres Munoz shut the door in the ninth inning, securing his 27th save of the season despite issuing two walks.
What Comes Next
Both clubs continue their respective regular-season schedules as September series wind down across Major League Baseball. Fans can check official MLB television schedules and MLB.com Gameday for upcoming game times, probable starting pitcher announcements, and updated American League playoff race standings.
Related reading
