Mariners Win Stetson Duel: Gilbert and deGrom Put On a Show, Combine for 23 Strikeouts
By Hayden Press
Seattle, WA - One day after Mariners top prospect Kade Anderson earned his first win in the major leagues, the M’s and Rangers sent out their aces for what was set to be a defensive battle.
Logan Gilbert reached 1000 innings pitched in his last start against the Athletics, a memorable achievement on what was an otherwise forgettable day. He went 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs, with most of the damage coming when he gave up four home runs in the top of the third. It was only the second time in his career that he recorded fewer than 5.0 IP.
Before Thursday’s game, Mariners manager Dan Wilson addressed Gilbert’s previous appearance: “Kind of a strange outing. I think we called it uncharacteristic... So, looking forward to him and making his adjustments today.”
Gilbert was solid in his return. He managed 7.0 quality innings of three-run ball on 100 pitches, with a dominant 11 strikeouts.
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert went seven innings during the teams 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday, September 10th, 2026, at T-Mobile Park. (Photos by Walter Williams for Circling Seattle Sports)
When asked about how his slider felt from his last start to Thursday’s, Gilbert said: “I felt like it was a lot better. I think especially the first half of the game, we got in good counts and kind of forced them to chase under the zone or even ones in the zone we got some strikes or swing-and-miss at times, so I feel like that pitch was helping us out a lot today.”
Gilbert finished his day with an impressive lunging tag at the plate, placing his glove right in the path of Rangers left fielder Wyatt Langford as he dove for home.
“I went back and looked at it, and my glove went exactly where his hand was. It’s kind of a chance thing. Like, I’m not that good to pretend I knew what I was doing. Cal made a good toss, and we just happened to get him—just worked out.”
Before the game, regarding his offense, Wilson said, “With [Gilbert and deGrom] going at it today, you talk about doing little things, getting traffic, getting them in . . . finding our opportunities is gonna be important today.”
deGrom was, as advertised, an incredibly tough opponent for Mariners batters, striking out 12 of the 19 he faced and allowing zero runs.
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom was perfect through five innings and ultimately pitched six innings in the Seattle Mariners’ 4-3 victory on Thursday, September 10th, 2026, at T-Mobile Park. (Photos by Walter Williams for Circling Seattle Sports)
“I think our guys, to our credit, even though we had eight of the first nine guys punch out, we were able to put some pitches on him. They weren’t just three and out. It was a lot of tougher at-bats. . . I think in some ways that kind of paid off for us later.”
After Cole Young broke deGrom’s perfect game bid in the sixth with a hard-hit ball up the middle that bounced off the ace’s glove, opportunities started to come for the Mariners.
“It was an impressive start. Just too bad we couldn’t win that game…there was conversations him and I had about going back out in the 6th and he gave us 6.0 and that was it. I would have loved for him to go back out, but there was no chance he could go back out.”
In the seventh, Jakob Junis took the mound for the Rangers. He allowed the first three Mariners batters to reach. With two runners on, down two, Julio Rodriguez turned on a first-pitch sinker, launching it 410 feet into the Rangers bullpen in left field.
“I thought that ball was gonna go through the back net in the bullpen,” said Wilson. “It was just hit so hard.”
Julio Rodríguez’s three-run homer against the Texas Rangers bullpen helped the Seattle Mariners take a 4-3 victory on Thursday, September 10th, 2026, at T-Mobile Park. (Photos by Walter Williams for Circling Seattle Sports)
Rodriguez spoke to the media after the game, where he was asked about how his home run might help lift the Mariners in the final stretch.
“I mean, it’s huge. I feel like, like you said, we know where we’re at, and that’s why we gotta continue to show up and win any game that we can, especially now in these last few games that we have, and then see what happens.”
The Mariners now sit six games back in their division and five back in the wild card. They have just 15 games left in the 2026 MLB regular season.
Pre-game, players and coaches from both teams posed with their native flags in a tradition for Hispanic Heritage Day, before the Texas Rangers took on the Seattle Mariners in the series rubber match on Thursday, September 11th, 2026, at T-Mobile Park. (Photos by Walter Williams for Circling Seattle Sports)
Quick notes from Mariners PR
24,784 was the announced paid attendance for this MLB regular-season game between the visiting Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
The Mariners earned the series win with a 4-3 victory over the Rangers in today’s final game of the homestand…the Mariners went 3-4 over the homestand… They now embark on their final road trip of the season, heading to Sacramento to face the Athletics over a 3-game series for the first leg of the trip.
Logan Gilbert recorded 7.0 innings, allowing 3 runs (3 ER) on 3 hits (1 HR) and 2 walks while striking out 11 batters…threw 100 pitches and 63 strikes.
His 5 home starts of 3-or-fewer runs allowed over 7.0+ IP are tied for the lead in the AL and ranked T-5th most in MLB.
It is his 3rd outing of the season with 3-or-fewer hits allowed over 7.0+ IP…he is 1 of 8 Mariners pitchers to have multiple starts of 3-or-fewer hits with 11+ strikeouts over 7.0 innings.
His 23 swing-and-misses are the 2nd most he has recorded in a start in his career, trailing 25 whiffs recorded on 8/24/25 vs. ATH.
His 11 strikeouts are tied for the 3rd most he has recorded in a single outing in his career (also: 9/19/22 at LAA) and is the most since he recorded 13 on 8/24/25 vs. ATH.
Is his 4th outing with double-digit strikeouts this season, most on the team…the Mariners’ 7 such games this season are 10th most in MLB this season…his 8 such games since the start of 2025 rank T-8th most over that span.
Struck out 3-of-3 batters he faced in the 2nd inning…marks the 2nd time he has struck out 3-of-3 batters faced in an inning this season (last: 6/16 vs. BAL).
Struck out 6 of the first 7 batters he faced in today’s game…struck out 3 of 4 batters following the 3rd inning, 1-out homer.
Gilbert (5 K) and deGrom (5 K) combined for 10 strikeouts through the first 2.0 innings of today’s game…marks the first time there has been a combined 10+ strikeouts recorded in the first 2.0 innings of a game at T-Mobile Park…is the 2nd time there has been a combined 10+ strikeouts recorded in the first 2.0 innings of a game this season (also: 6/15, DET at HOU) and the 9th since 2024.
Gilbert and deGrom combined for 23 strikeouts, the most combined starting pitcher strikeouts in a game this season…is the most since Atlanta and San Francisco did so on 8/12/24.
Cole Young broke up deGrom’s no-hit bid in the first at-bat of the 6th inning with a single…advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch…has hit safely in all 3 games of the series, going 4-for-10 with 2 RBI, 1 run, and a double of the series vs. Texas.
Randy Arozarena drew a HBP to lead off the 7th inning…scored a run on Raleigh’s RBI single…his 23 HBPs rank 3rd most in MLB this season.
Was also intentionally walked…marks the 10th intentional walk of his career.
Dominic Canzone singled in the 7th…scored a run on the Rodríguez 3-run homer… recorded an RBI single to drive Arozarena for the Mariners’ first run of the game
Cal Raleigh singled in the 7th inning…has recorded a hit in 10 of his last 11 games since Aug. 29 with an RBI in 7 of those games.
Julio Rodríguez recorded a go-ahead 3-run home run in the 7th inning to put the Mariners up 4-3…marks his 7th go-ahead home run this season, 3rd most on the team.
His 52 career go-ahead homers rank 10th most in Mariners history, trailing Ichiro Suzuki’s 55 such homers.
Taylor Ward drew a walk… he has recorded a walk in back-to-back games.
What’s next?
After this victory against the Texas Rangers to secure a series win, the Seattle Mariners are on a plane to California, where they’ll begin a three-game weekend series against the Athletics. The two American League West foes faced off just a week ago, as the Mariners dropped three of four games to the Athletics in a series that drove Seattle further out of the playoff picture. Their three-game weekend series begins tomorrow, Friday, September 11th, with a 6:40 PM PDT first pitch time that will be broadcast on Mariners.TV and go over the radio on Seattle Sports (710 AM).
Seattle will have right-hander George Kirby on the mound to duel against Athletics lefty Jeffrey Springs, who dominated the Mariners during that last series at T-Mobile Park.
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