deGrom Goes Nuclear, Julio Goes Hero: Mariners Flip Rangers in 4-3 Thriller

SEATTLE — Jacob deGrom was in full Terminator mode. For five innings, the Texas Rangers had nothing. No hits. No hope. Just a trail of swings and misses.

Then Julio Rodríguez reminded everyone that baseball loves a plot twist.

The deGrom Domination

DeGrom retired his first 15 batters and struck out 12 — his highest total since 2022. He punched out eight of his first nine batters for the fifth time in his career. The no-hit bid finally cracked in the sixth when Cole Young lined a single off the pitcher's raised glove leading off the inning.

DeGrom finished with one hit allowed over six scoreless innings, one walk and 12 strikeouts. He left with a 3-0 lead due to groin tightness, manager Skip Schumaker said.

Julio's Seventh-Inning Jolt

Texas turned to Jakob Junis (1-3) in the seventh, and the wheels came off fast. Junis hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch, then gave up Dominic Canzone's RBI single and Cal Raleigh's single. That set the stage for Rodríguez, who jumped on a first-pitch sinker and launched his 21st home run of the season — a go-ahead, three-run blast that turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 Mariners lead.

Seattle's four-run seventh was the kind of chaotic, one-swing surge that can define a series.

Gilbert Matches the Moment

Logan Gilbert (12-9) wasn't about to let deGrom have all the strikeout fun. The fellow Stetson product struck out 11 in seven innings and became Seattle's first pitcher with consecutive double-digit strikeout games since James Paxton in 2018. The combined strikeout total was the most by starting pitchers in the majors this season.

Gilbert also made a slick sliding tag on Wyatt Langford in the seventh, taking Raleigh's throw after a pitch bounced away from the catcher.

Ninth-Inning Nerves

Andrés Muñoz walked a pair with two outs in the ninth, then got Jake Burger to ground into a forceout for his 27th save in 36 chances. Young scooped the grounder behind second and just beat Evan Carter to the base — a call that survived video review.

The loss dropped Texas three games behind AL West-leading Houston and two games back for the last AL wild card. Seattle still trails by five games for that final wild-card spot.

Up Next

Rangers: Start a three-game series Friday at Arizona, which starts RHP Merrill Kelly (9-13, 5.06).

Mariners: RHP George Kirby (9-11, 4.18) starts Friday at the Athletics, who open with LHP Jeffrey Springs (4-13, 6.02).