Mariners reliever hits low vs. Twins not seen since 2002
The Seattle Mariners took a serious bullpen hit Thursday, and it came at the worst possible time. Reliever Zach Pop, a 28-year-old right-hander, surrendered eight runs in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins, a collapse that hasn't been seen from a reliever vs. Minnesota since 2002. The Mariners, clinging to a Wild Card spot after falling 10-1 to the Twins, now face growing questions about their bullpen stability.
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The rough outing was confirmed by The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman, who shared the historical context on X (formerly known as Twitter).
'#MNTwins scored eight runs vs. Mariners reliever Zach Pop in the sixth inning.
The last reliever to allow more than eight runs to the Twins was Cleveland right-hander Charles Nagy in 2002.'
Before Thursday, Pop had delivered three solid outings for the Mariners, posting a 2.08 ERA and 0.92 WHIP across 4.1 innings. But in just his fourth appearance, everything unraveled—an eight-run collapse that sent his ERA soaring to 13.50.
Seattle's current situation in the AL Wild Card race leaves little room for error. At 41-39, they're tied for the second Wild Card spot, with Cleveland, the Angels, and Rangers all within two games. With just over a month until the trade deadline, every game now carries added weight. The team's +20 run differential speaks to solid overall play, but bullpen fatigue and inconsistency threaten to undo that momentum.
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Complicating matters further is the teams' upcoming schedule. With a must-win series ahead the Texas Rangers, and six teams within 3.5 games of the final Wild Card slot, manager Scott Servais must quickly reassess bullpen roles. Whether Pop stays in the mix remains to be seen, but one thing is clear, Seattle cannot afford another implosion.
In particular, the fallout from the right hander's latest outing has intensified the spotlight on late-inning reliability. His eight-run meltdown wasn't just a statistical outlier—it served as a wake-up call for a team teetering between postseason hope and deadline uncertainty.
While this outing may prove to be a blip in Pop's season, its timing and historical context make it stand out. The Mariners' bullpen has been leaned on heavily in recent weeks, and this latest collapse has reignited concerns about depth and dependability. Seattle's postseason hopes will hinge on their ability to stabilize the late innings and avoid more moments like this.
Related: Mariners' Cal Raleigh has new job amid Mitch Garver's injury
Related: 3 Mariners who must be on trade block ahead of 2025 deadline
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