Mariners coach Scott Servais responded to Trevor Bauer’s assessment of his Monday match against Seattle, which included three home runs in the fifth inning that ended the National League’s Cy Young Award winner night.
After Evan White, José Marmolejos and Mitch Haniger dumped him in his final inning, Bauer told reporters about his departure: “I got what I wanted out of it. In the fifth entry, there was really no thought of sequencing or anything. I was just throwing pitches. This is not a good frame of mind when you’re trying to get the guys out of there. But I was ending the night, trying to get my pitch count up. “
On Tuesday, when Servais was describing the Mariners’ offensive improvements in the past week or so, he mimicked Bauer’s response when speaking of his own team.
“Certainly, Bauer was at the top of his game from the start,” said Servais. “I just wanted to let everyone know that our guys weren’t trying the first four entries. We decided to try the fifth inning last night, and it worked. Our guys started trying.
“I know he said he might not be trying in the fifth, but our guys were trying in the fifth. We just don’t take it seriously in the first three or four entries. “
“No, our guys were hitting with an eye closed in the first four innings. We were also trying to breathe through the eyelids, as we focus on different things that will help us over the years. I just want to do [sure] everyone understood that they were not trying the first four entries. “
Seattle was Bauer’s toughest opponent this spring, at least on the scoreboard. In 7 2/3 innings against the Mariners, Bauer gave up nine hits, six runs won and four walks.
There is a chance that Bauer will face the Mariners next month. The Dodgers visit T-Mobile Park for a series of two games from April 19 to April 20.