Mariners struggle out of gate post-All Star break with lopsided series

SEATTLE -- Not what the Mariners wanted coming out of the Trade Deadline.

Seattle was outscored, 21-4, over its first three games after Monday’s transactional cutoff, capped with an 11-0 loss in Thursday’s series finale at T-Mobile Park against the Tigers -- their most lopsided defeat of the season.

It also marked their 11th shutout of the season, tied with the Mets, Giants and Padres for the most in MLB, and with outfielder Victor Robles as the Mariners’ final pitcher.

This single series saw Seattle’s full-season run differential go from +3 to -14.

Even their one win over these three days came with drama that led to suspensions, as leverage reliever Gabe Speier was handed a three-game sanction (though he is appealing) and manager Dan Wilson received one game, which he served on Thursday. Both were also fined an undisclosed amount.

A little over two hours after that announcement from MLB, Bryce Miller was playing from behind at the outset of Thursday’s matinee -- continuing an individual trend of concern amid the greater team-wide challenges.

“I’ve got to be better at the beginning of the game and get off to a better start,” Miller said.

The right-hander needed 40 pitches to get through the first inning, over which he surrendered two doubles, two homers and two walks that led to three runs. He also experienced a velocity dip, albeit marginal, but one that’s nonetheless continued over the past few weeks.

He averaged 95.7 mph on his four-seam fastball, compared to 97.5 mph when he first came off the injured list on May 13.

“He didn't come out very sharp from the get-go and made us play catch-up baseball,” acting manager Manny Acta said. “But we couldn't do anything offensively, anyways.”

Indeed, Miller rebounded to clear the fifth inning but surrendered one more run in the second that all but put this one out of reach, given that Seattle’s bats had nothing going against familiar foe Framber Valdez, who twirled seven innings with five hits and two walks.

Their only real threat was in the sixth, when they had runners on first and second base with one out -- but Dominic Canzone was called on strikes and Julio Rodríguez grounded out. Those were their lone at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Overall, the Mariners had seven hits, but none for extra bases, while grounding into four double plays. They were also without Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor and Brendan Donovan, as each had by-design days off.

As for Miller, the Mariners have now lost each of his past five starts, over which he has a 5.81 ERA. This comes after he carried a 1.71 ERA through his first nine outings, having missed the season’s first seven weeks with a left oblique strain.

“If I split my season so far into halves,” Miller said, “the first half of my season, a lot of things went my way, and the second half, things haven't. And so I think that's part of the game, but at the same time, I’ve just got to continue to make quality pitches and continue to stay on the attack.”

Outside of a three-run homer from Rodríguez in the sixth inning on Wednesday and an emotional insurance shot from Colt Emerson two frames later, Seattle’s offense was held completely at bay by Detroit -- with two runaway losses sandwiched around a win in the middle game.

The Mariners (56-60) have now lost 16 of their past 25 games -- only 10 of which were against teams currently occupying a playoff spot, as they went 3-7 vs. the Rays, Dodgers and Rangers in that span.

And now they face their most daunting stretch of schedule. Each of their next 18 games are against teams currently in postseason play, beginning Friday against Tampa Bay (68-46), which has the best record in the American League.

It also kicks off the club’s 50th season celebration.

This weekend is followed by a gauntlet road trip at the Yankees, Astros then Brewers, then back home against the Cubs and Phillies. Basically, there’s a strong chance that the fate of their entire season could be decided over these next three weeks.