Both Mitches homer as Gilbert battles inconsistency

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Logan Gilbert didn’t have his best stuff Tuesday, and he felt it early.

The fourth-year Mariners righty put up a stat line that won’t go anywhere but the Spring Training forget file as his second Cactus League start lasted less than two innings in the team’s 10-9 loss to the Rangers.

Gilbert struck out two in the first inning but also worked himself into a mild jam that led to his coming out temporarily before he reentered to open the second. Overall, he was touched for six earned runs on five hits and a walk in 1 1/3 innings.

“Not very good, obviously,” he said, as the Mariners returned from an off-day Monday with a pair of split-squad games Tuesday. The team’s other half lost 4-1 to the Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.

Rangers leadoff man Evan Carter launched Gilbert’s third pitch of the day deep up the right-center-field lawn. Gilbert did bounce back to fan Leody Taveras and Nathaniel Lowe consecutively, with his velocity up to 97 mph, on an inconsistent afternoon.

“My pitches feel all right, considering, which is kind of weird,” Gilbert said. “I think it was just leaving pitches over the middle of the plate. I’m not really gonna go change everything after something like this, it’s just location.”

The staff as a whole came on strong with eight other pitchers, including Holden Laws, Andrés Muñoz and Gabe Speier who threw at least one inning of scoreless ball. The Mariners led after eight innings, but the Rangers rallied late with two runs in the ninth off Brett de Geus, who took the loss.

“[Gilbert] struggled to get the breaking pitches, the secondary pitches, over the plate,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “He’s frustrated by it. It happens in spring, certainly to starters the second time around.”

New Mariner Mitch Garver, batting third, welcomed his former teammates in their first matchup of the spring. The catcher, who figures to back up Cal Raleigh while mostly DHing, faced the team he won a World Series with this past November and launched a three-run homer to left. He also walked and scored twice.

Julio Rodríguez, batting second, collected a couple of hits and an RBI, while Mitch Haniger also homered.

“We did some good things offensively,” said Servais, whose club has one win and one tie in Cactus League action. “It wasn’t going our way lately, but we did play a better game today, in my opinion.”

Familiar face throwing first pitch
The Mariners announced Tuesday that seven-time All-Star Nelson Cruz will return to the Emerald City to throw the ceremonial first pitch when the Red Sox visit T-Mobile Park on Thursday, March 28, for Opening Day. Cruz averaged more than 40 homers and 100 RBIs per season during his four years (2015-18) in Seattle.

Also on Opening Day, Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki will present Rodríguez with his second Silver Slugger Award. Suzuki was Rookie of the Year, MVP and a multi-time Gold Glove and Silver Slugger winner in his 14 seasons (2001-12, ‘18-19) with the Mariners.