A start that could signal the end
Emerson Hancock took the mound for what may be his last outing with the Mariners, and while he was steady — five innings, five strikeouts, three runs — it didn’t do much to shift the narrative. Seattle is reportedly considering trading a starting pitcher, and Hancock is at the top of that list. His performance was just good enough to avoid total disaster but not strong enough to secure his future here.
The game's opening inning saw Hancock struggle to control a sweeper, which Andy Pages sent over the left-field wall for a solo home run. Still, he managed to strike out three batters in the frame, including Shohei Ohtani. That early combination of power and control hinted at the back-and-forth the rest of the game would be.
Dodgers pressure breaks through
The second inning brought more chaos when Hancock issued a pair of singles, loading the bases for Freddie Freeman. A weakly hit squibber to first baseman Weston Wilson allowed a second run to score. Wilson’s attempt to field the ball like it was a live grenade didn’t help the cause, and the lead grew to 2-0.
Hancock steadied himself after that jam, though the Mariners’ defense behind him was not the bedrock one might hope for. By the fourth, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández had reached base, and with Julio Rodríguez pulling up just short of a potential catch, the door was left open. A walk to Ohtani followed, and Pages did what came naturally, sending another ball Wilson's way, this time making it 3-0.
Seattle's late push falls short
The Mariners did manage to show some life in the eighth and ninth innings, scoring two runs to cut the deficit to 4-2. Dominic Canzone and Josh Naylor both hit doubles, and while it looked like Mitch Garver had a ball that could have tied the game, Teoscar Hernández leapt awkwardly into the chainlink, but still pulled it in.
Still, the damage had been done, and the game was already out of reach. The Mariners will look to regroup and take the series Thursday in Los Angeles, but for now, this loss adds another chapter to the growing story of what happens to Emerson Hancock after the trade deadline.