The Seattle Mariners cleaned house on Thursday, firing manager Scott Servais and hitting coach Jarrett DeHart in a last-ditch attempt to save the sinking ship that is their 2024 season.
It’s debatable how much of the Mariners’ fall from the top of the American League West to the fringe of the Wild Card race is Servais’ fault. It isn’t controversial to say Seattle has the worst-hitting team in baseball.
More news: Mariners Fire Scott Servais, Name Famous Alumni Manager
By OPS+, which combines on-base percentage and slugging percentage, the Mariners are 20th in MLB. But by batting average, they’re dead last, at .216.
Considering the prowess of their pitching staff — their 3.53 earned-run average leads all of baseball — their hitting ability offers a stunning lesson in contrasts.
According to OPTA Stats, no team has led baseball in ERA and finished last in batting average since 1937.
The Mariners currently have the lowest ERA (3.53) and lowest batting average (.216) among all AL/NL teams this season.
The last team to finish a season ranked as such were the 1937 Boston Bees. pic.twitter.com/YAvghHA8JA
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 23, 2024
Friday, the Mariners pulled one the most famous names out of their franchise history to serve as hitting coach: Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez.
Mariners officially announce Edgar Martinez as hitting coach for the remainder of the year.
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) August 23, 2024
Martinez has served as the team’s hitting coach in the past. He replaced Howard Johnson in the role in 2015 and stayed there until the end of the 2018 season, when he resigned to spend more time with his family.
The next year, Martinez was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“I want to thank Edgar for agreeing to join us for the remainder of the season,” new manager Dan Wilson said in a statement. “I’m confident his deep knowledge of hitting and experience with our hitters will be a great addition.”
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 14: Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto looks on as Ichiro Suzuki, center laughs with former Seattle Mariners players Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. as Suzuki receives the Seattle Mariners… SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 14: Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto looks on as Ichiro Suzuki, center laughs with former Seattle Mariners players Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. as Suzuki receives the Seattle Mariners Franchise Achievement Award before the game against the Chicago White Sox at T-Mobile Park on September 14, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. Martinez is the Mariners’ new hitting coach.
Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images
In 18 major league seasons (1987-2004), all in a Mariners uniform, Martinez compiled a .312 career batting average with a lifetime .418 on-base percentage and a .515 slugging percentage while amassing 1,219 runs, 2,247 hits, 514 doubles, 309 home runs, 1,261 RBIs and 1,283 walks in 2,055 career games.
Martinez already resided in nearby Bellevue, Washington, and was officially listed as an “organizational hitting advisor” in the Mariners’ media guide.
“When Dan reached out to me, I told him that I’d be happy to assist him this season in whatever way I could,” Martinez said in a statement. “I know the talent and work ethic this group of hitters has and I hope I can be of help to them.”
Seattle is 64-64 after going 1-8 on a road trip that ended with a three-game sweep in Los Angeles at the hands of the Dodgers. They had been in first place in the American League West as recently as Aug. 11, but now trail the resurgent Houston Astros (69-58) by 5.5 games.
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