If you blinked and missed it, the Mariners are already halfway done with their ill-advised, bizarro 2020 season. (A reminder that this year it’s a sprint — not a marathon — in case you haven’t been told that five million times already.) This post provides a quick look back at a few noteworthy plays/incidents from the first half of the season. Enjoy!

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Hardest-Hit Ball: Jake Fraley, 112.2 mph

In what was just his second plate appearance of the season, Fraley checked in with this screamer into the right field corner. (Given how hot the Kyles have been, I’m surprised that one of them didn’t rank highest on this list.) It’ll be interesting to see what Fraley does in the second half, now that he’s healthy and is a bit more seasoned (he was badddd in limited action last year). Hopefully Servais gives him some regular playing time over the next month.

Longest Home Run: Daniel Vogelbach, 441 feet

🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

(miss you, Vogey)

Highest WPA Play by a Hitter: Dylan Moore, +0.385

Dylan Moore has been a REVELATION this year, just smacking the h*ck out of baseballs. In addition to being such a fun surprise, he also has the M’s biggest hit (by win percentage added — WPA) of the season. Unfortunately, even though pitchers couldn’t really figure out a way to stop him, a recent injury landed him on the 10-day IL. Hopefully Moore’s sprained wrist isn’t too serious and he’s able to continue his hot hitting once he returns in the field.

Highest WPA Play by a Pitcher: Taylor Williams, +0.146

Williams is proving to be a pretty nifty waiver pickup, leading M’s relievers in innings pitched and saves so far this season. He’s proven competent in many high-leverage situations — none more so than this bases-loaded strikeout of Corey Seager to secure an M’s victory over the Dodgers. I appreciate that the empty stadium lets us hear Williams’ victory whoop after the punch-out.

Fastest Pitch: Dan Altavilla, 99.3 mph

I wonder if Altavilla would still be on the M’s roster under normal circumstances; he’s gotten a ton of opportunities over the last several seasons, but has never really figured everything out. However, thanks to expanded rosters and the M’s 10-man bullpen, Diesel Dan is still out there pumping gas. He definitely gets his fair share of strikeouts, but boy oh boy does he walk a ton of guys. (Among M’s pitchers with at least 100 IP, Altavilla ranks third all time in three true outcome percentage — he only trails Edwin Díaz and Randy Johnson.) Knowing all this, it is not too surprising that his fastest pitch of the season was called a ball.

Unluckiest Out: Evan White, .910 xBA

An expected batting average (xBA) of .910 means that, over the past several seasons, balls hit comparably hard with a comparable launch angle went for a hit 91% of the time. White barreled this ball up and smacked it almost 400 feet. Unfortunately, Trout 1) got a good jump, 2) was positioned well, and 3) is Mike Trout, which allowed him to catch what usually would’ve been an extra-base hit.

Luckiest Hit: Shed Long Jr., .050 xBA

Sometimes the shift helps you out as a defender and sometimes … it does not. If Bregman had been positioned normally, this would’ve been an incredibly routine play. Nonetheless, kudos to Shed for busting it down the line to pick up the infield single; he needs all the help that he can get at the plate these days. (Please figure it out soon, Shed.)

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So far, the 2020 M’s have had a few really bright spots (<3 Kyle Lewis), as well as plenty of groan-inducing moments (~80% of the performances from their bullpen). Here’s hoping the second half of the season provides us with a boatload of weird, fun, memorable baseball.

#goms