The Cleveland Guardians and the Seattle Mariners traded zeroes for most of the night in their Opening Day clash.
It wasn’t until the eighth inning when Ty France hit a three-run home run that the Mariners got the lead they needed to close the deal and score a 3-0 victory in their first game of the season.
Their pitching staff is looking particularly nasty these days.
They not only have 2021 AL Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, but they also employ Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby and a wicked-good bullpen.
Penn Murfee, Andres Munoz, Paul Sewald, Matt Brash and others form a deep and powerful group.
Brash, in particular, has really impressive stuff.
He still needs to learn how to harness it and get the better of it, since he had a 4.44 ERA last year in 50.2 frames.
But boy, he can make any batter look like a little leaguer.
He did, on Thursday, against none other than Jose Ramirez.
LOOK at what Matt Brash just made José Ramírez do. pic.twitter.com/butehGvIxP
— Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) March 31, 2023
Whoa.
We have tried, believe us, but we can’t stop watching the video.
That slider took Ramirez’s soul with it.
The thing is that right-handers don’t usually work lefty hitters with breaking stuff that moves towards them.
It usually moves away from the hitter.
Perhaps, because of that reason, J-Ram didn’t expect such a filthy slider.
Ramirez is a perennial MVP candidate and that won’t change because of one pitch, but wow.
We see you, Brash.
The right-hander pitched a clean inning on Thursday to help get the ball to Munoz, who notched the save himself.
Brash struck out two in his inning of relief.
If he can find consistency, he will be unhittable this year.
