SEATTLE -- Kyle Seager appreciated getting to 30 home runs in a season for the first time with his three-run blast in Wednesday's 12-4 victory at Houston.
"That's exciting," acknowledged the 28-year-old, whose home run total has increased in each of his six seasons in the Majors. "That's a pretty good number. It's definitely something I'm proud of and even better that it came in a win."
His manager, Scott Servais, appreciated the 30-homer feat for another reason. Turns out, Seager has hit exactly five home runs in each of the season's six months to reach that figure, a fitting level of consistency for the even-keeled third baseman.
"It's a fantastic season he's had," Servais said. "I didn't know he had five homers each month until I saw that, but it's kind of what it felt like. He just kind of keeps rolling along."
Servais said Seager is so quietly consistent that he made a specific effort to praise him for his performance earlier this year.
"The squeaky wheel usually gets the oil. He's not as squeaky wheel," Servais said. "He's not a high-maintenance guy. He's a guy you just write his name in the lineup and kind of forget about because you take him for granted.
"I made the point to him, I brought him in and told him, 'You are doing an awesome job. I don't say it to you enough.' Because he is. He's just kind of the steady guy. You write his name in there and he's hitting fifth for you almost every night, he's playing good defense at third, he's getting big hits. We need him. He's so valuable to have in your lineup every day."
Seager has posted a .281/.362/.506 line with 30 homers and 99 RBIs going into the season's final series.
WORTH NOTING
• Right fielder Franklin Gutierrez continues dealing with a broken blood vessel in his eye that doesn't look good, but won't prevent the veteran from playing, according to Servais. His role will be limited the first three games of the A's series, however, as Oakland rolls out a trio of right-handed starters.
"I know it doesn't look good, but he says he's seeing the ball OK in batting practice and whatnot," Servais said. "They've got the lefty going the last game, so I'd expect him to be in then and also pinch-hit because they've got some lefties in their bullpen as well."
• Robinson Canó entered Thursday with 36 home runs, one shy of Seattle's club record for a second baseman set by Bret Boone in 2001. He was also at 191 hits and 97 RBIs, with a shot at becoming just the sixth second baseman in MLB history with multiple 200/100 seasons.
• Friday's 7:10 p.m. PT game is Fan Appreciation Night, with all fans receiving a Mariners team poster with a preview of the 2017 schedule. Prizes will also be given between innings through a random seat-number drawing.