Mariners notebook: Scott Servais sees positive signs despite offense’s rough weekend

Four runs, 0 for 16 with runners in scoring position and three losses is not exactly what the Mariners were looking for in their first homestand. Not a fun way to start the season, but Scott Servais is not about to jump into the Mariners’ home-vs.-road debate.

“You play good baseball, you win. Get big hits, you win. I don’t care if you are home or on the road,” he said before Monday’s game.

Related: Five takeaways from Mariners’ first week

As ugly as it is to see just four runs in three games, Servais sees signs that things are going in the right direction with the offense, namely in controlling the zone.

“I think we are doing a pretty good job,” he said. “We are walking. Outside of the Rich Hill game, we have put the ball in play. Our batting average on balls put in play is an all-time low. League average is around .285 and we are about .229. We’re six games into it. It will turn.”

And that is the bottom line. Six games is hardly an indicator of what any team in baseball is or will be at this point.

“I don’t want to read too much into it,” said Servais of the Mariners’ start. “I want us to go about our work the same way we have gone about it with the same kind of energy in our clubhouse. When you have good players with good track records it usually turns around.”

We shall see if it starts Monday as the Mariners face Texas’ Colby Lewis. Servais is interested to get his first look at what should be the regular lineup against right handers as Nori Aoki missed the first game against Lewis with a bruised shin and Steve Clevenger was in the lineup Sunday against righty Chris Bassitt.

Lineup!  

Norichika Aoki, LF
Kyle Seager, 3B
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nelson Cruz, DH
Adam Lind, 1B
Seth Smith, RF
Chris Iannetta, C
Ketel Marte, SS
Leonys Martin, CF

Hisashi Iwakuma, RHP

Notes

• Servais confirmed after the game Sunday that Joaquin Benoit was unavailable to pitch that day. Monday we got a little bit more clarity on the situation. Benoit is dealing with shoulder soreness similar to what caused him to miss time in spring training. “I am trying to be smart, not trying to jeopardize the whole season,” said Benoit. He did not seem to be overly concerned about the situation. “Too old to be concerned,” he said. “I have pitched with stuff on my arm and my body the whole time. It’s not something that I really worry about. I’m just going to work on it and get it better.” Benoit expects to throw Tuesday and hopes to be available for games in a few days.

• Charlie Furbush, who is on the 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis and a small tear in his rotator cuff, took a big step forward Monday, throwing for the first time since undergoing Reginokine therapy at the end of spring training. He threw from 75 feet before batting practice, and if everything feels good Tuesday, could throw again.

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