MLB Insider: Mariners’ Logan Gilbert on track to win a Cy Young

Logan Gilbert has been the Seattle Mariners’ best and most consistent starting pitcher so far this season.

That’s certainly saying something, considering Seattle’s historically dominant run of pitching over the past three weeks.

What’s behind Logan Gilbert’s strong start? M’s pitching coach explains

Gilbert, now in his fourth MLB season, has a team-best 1.69 ERA that ranks fifth in the majors. He has allowed one earned run or fewer in five of his seven starts, totaling 50 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 48 innings. His .152 opponents’ batting average ranks second-best in the majors and his 0.79 WHIP is fourth-best.

Gilbert’s latest gem came Saturday night when he threw eight shutout innings of two-hit ball in the Mariners’ 5-0 win over the Astros.

FOX MLB analyst and former longtime major league catcher A.J. Pierzynski saw Gilbert’s masterpiece in person, as he was on the national TV broadcast alongside Mariners broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith. Pierzynski joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Monday and offered some lofty praise for Seattle’s 27-year-old right-hander.

“Logan Gilbert is going to win a Cy Young – if he stays healthy – at some point,” Pierzynski said. “He’s that good. Wow. I mean, that was unbelievable what he did Saturday. … The way Logan Gilbert was as up and down (in the zone) and using the split and the sweeper/slider with the high fastball combo was just lethal.”

Gilbert had an uncharacteristic four walks on Saturday, but he has yielded one walk or fewer in five of his seven starts. That type of control is commonplace among Mariners pitchers, who pair elite strike-throwing with top-end velocity and movement.

“The thing about the Mariners staff is not only do they throw strikes, but they’ve got stuff too,” Pierzynski said. “It’s not like they’re just going out there throwing 85 (mph), Jamie Moyer-style – throwing strikes and doing it that way. I mean, they’re throwing 95. You watch Logan Gilbert, he was 97, 98 up in the zone, but for strikes (and) backing it up with a split.”

“I have a bad feeling about this” – opposing batters facing Logan. pic.twitter.com/2NM48X5fBM

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 5, 2024

Gilbert’s performance on Saturday continued a streak of 21 consecutive games in which a Mariners starter had allowed two runs or fewer. That tied the second-longest such streak in MLB history and the longest since the 1915 Washington Senators. The streak finally came to an end Sunday when Seattle starter Bryce Miller gave up four runs over six innings (all coming in either the sixth or seventh inning) in the Mariners’ 5-4 comeback win.

“It’s just domination,” Pierzynski said of Seattle’s rotation. “Their starting pitching is so darn good. They have different guys. They’re all right-handed, but they’re different guys. They all throw different pitches. … And the Astros, honestly, they just looked lost against their starters. I know they did a little bit of damage on Sunday, but other than that, they did nothing against those three starting pitchers they saw.”

Listen to the full conversation with A.J. Pierzynski from Monday’s Brock and Salk in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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