Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert describes career day vs Yankees, his mindset
Jul 9, 2021, 3:08 PM | Updated: 3:12 pm
Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert had his best career start against the Yankees on Thursday. (Getty)
(Getty)
Rookie pitcher Logan Gilbert was the star of the show in the Mariners’ 4-0 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday.
Mariners Takeaways: The good, bad and ugly from series vs Yankees
In a career-high seven innings, Gilbert allowed only one hit and recorded a career-high eight strikeouts while allowing no walks.
After allowing a leadoff single in the second inning and hitting the next batter, Gilbert got into quite the groove, retiring the final 18 batters he faced.
Untouchable 💥 pic.twitter.com/sW5eFovqgT
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 9, 2021
On Friday, Gilbert caught up with 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jake and Stacy and described how that game went and shared some insight into his mindset as a young pitcher.
It’s safe to say that Gilbert was in “the zone” on Thursday, and he shared how that feels for him when that happens.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s really nice,” he said. “It really doesn’t happen all that much when you feel like everything is working out, so when it does happen and you feel really good with some of your pitches and command, you just try to take it and run with it and try to make the most out of that particular start.”
Gilbert was locked in against a very tough Yankees lineup, which features many big-name sluggers. Gilbert said the challenge of facing New York was “really fun.”
“It’s just a great opportunity to be able to face some of those guys, some of the names that you hear on TV or even growing up and stuff like that,” he said.
While Gilbert called facing off with the Yankees “a big deal,” he was more focused on executing his game plan and dictating the action.
“I don’t really want to change what I try to do out there,” he said. “I just try to keep everything the same and hope at the end of the day everything works out … You just want to be able to compete with your best stuff. If they hit it, they hit it and you have to live with the results. At the end of the day, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and hope it works out in the end.”
The game plan for Gilbert on Thursday was peppering the right-handed-heavy Yankees with fastballs and sliders. That worked quite well for the Mariners’ rookie, who was on his game from the start.
“I felt like (those pitches were) working out for most of the game, so we didn’t try to over-create it or do too much,” he said. “Like I said, I wanted them to beat me more than I put myself into sticky situations, so we just kept going with the fastball and slider and it was working out for most of the game.”
A big part of Gilbert’s game is his intensity. That was apparent when he left the mound to a massive standing ovation after recording the third out in the seventh inning. Gilbert had some fun looking back on that moment on Friday.
“It was weird,” he said. “Honestly, I get so focused for so long during the game and trying to stay that way. I felt like I was coming out of the game at that time, but it didn’t really hit me that I can switch it off, so it took me a little bit to snap out of it, I guess.”
Gilbert’s performance against the Yankees is obviously worthy of praise from his Mariners teammates and coaches and anyone else out there, but he wants to look ahead rather than backwards.
“I felt like it was a great performance and it was really fun to have one of those days, but at the end of the day it’s just one start,” Gilbert said. “I really appreciate all the congratulations and attention and whatever that it brings, but I just want to focus on the next day, the next start and getting a little bit better because I don’t really live for the results.
“The results are great, but like I keep saying, I’m just trying to get a little bit better and focus on improving something the next day. I just try to take the little bit of improvements into the next start and try and get a little bit better.”
Listen to the full interview, which includes Gilbert’s thoughts on this Mariners team and living with top prospect Jarred Kelenic, at this link or in the player below.
Follow Brandon Gustafson on Twitter.
Mariners Draft: Who to watch for if M’s make it 4 straight college pitchers
