As their first four-game road series of this shortened season wrapped up in Houston, the Mariners held a social-distanced team meeting in the outfield stands at Minute Maid Park prior to Monday’s game against the Astros.

The primary topic? The need to keep their focus and not let up.

But manager Scott Servais wasn’t talking about their play on the field, even though his team was coming off its first victory of the season in Sunday’s 7-6 comeback win. Rather, Servais was reinforcing the strict COVID-19 protocols and need to avoid close contact in the wake of word that MLB games were postponed Monday between the Marlins and Orioles and the Phillies and Yankees.

Servais believes his team has done a good job following protocols in the clubhouse and off the field, but he acknowledged that hasn’t always been true during games when players get caught up in the excitement of the moment.

“It’s certainly something we’re well aware of,” he said of the league-wide issue. “And quite frankly, it’s something we have to do a better job of here, too. Yesterday’s game was really exciting. Guys are getting big hits and you just forget. And I’m as guilty as anybody. We’ll have a team meeting and we will come up with a 2020 version of high fives or different ways to celebrate in the clubhouse. We have to do a better job there.

“I think we’re saying all the right stuff, but you watch the games, we have to do the right thing. And sometimes you let your emotions get in the way and you just react. We weren’t clearly thinking and slowing it down enough in those spots. I don’t want to curb the enthusiasm of young players. That’s the beauty of the game and what we’re going through and getting a chance to experience that with our whole team. But we do have to be smart.”

The team can’t constantly monitor players away from the field, but it has made it clear they should stay in their hotel rooms as much as possible. Center fielder Kyle Lewis said that part isn’t that different, given that players are used to playing mostly night games and then just getting up and going to the park the next day.

“To my understanding, nobody has really left the hotel at all,” Servais said. “I know our coaching staff hasn’t, and I talked to our players two different times before we left Seattle about going into Houston and Anaheim after that. You’ve got to lock down and stay in the hotel.”

Vogelbach working on some things
After going 0-for-7 with a walk in Seattle’s first two games, Daniel Vogelbach was replaced by rookie Jose Marmolejos at designated hitter in both Sunday and Monday’s games.

“Vogey has gotten off to a slow start here and in Summer Camp,” Servais said. “The last couple days, he’s been working on a few things with [hitting coaches Jarret DeHart and Hugh Quattlebaum], trying to get the feel back. He’s picked up a few things on video. He’ll be back in there again. We’re just giving him a couple days to get it together, and hopefully he feels better at the plate and will be more productive.”

Guilbeau recalled; Brennan to injured list
Lefty reliever Taylor Guilbeau was recalled from the Mariners’ alternate training site on Monday and added to the team’s 11-man bullpen, as fellow reliever Brandon Brennan went on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique.

Guilbeau was already with the club in Houston as part of the team’s traveling three-man taxi squad. The 27-year-old pitched in 17 games for the Mariners in 2019 with a 3.65 ERA and seven strikeouts over 12 1/3 innings.

Brennan allowed one run on two hits and two walks in his 1 1/3 innings on Saturday in his lone appearance this season. In 44 outings last year, the 29-year-old right-hander posted a 4.56 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 24 walks in 47 1/3 innings as a Rule 5 Draft pickup.