Under normal or even the most optimal of circumstances, a bullpen start is not an ideal scenario for any team. Usually it's a last resort when there are no other options.
For the 2020 Seattle Mariners and their collection of inexperienced, inconsistent and ineffective relievers, the premise of a bullpen start for any reason isn't quite like self-immolation, but more like a root canal without being given the option of numbing shots.
Roughly 40 minutes before the first pitch at Minute Maid Park, the Mariners determined that left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who was scheduled to start the series opener against the Houston Astros, would not be able to take the mound for his fourth start of the season because of neck spasms.
That meant a bullpen that came into the game with a 6.78 ERA (second worst in MLB), 17 homers allowed (tied for the most in MLB), 47 walks (tied for second most), 12 hit-batters (most in MLB) and an .860 on-base plus slugging percentage allowed (second worst) would have to cover nine innings against a wounded Houston team that was looking to get healthy against a team it bullied to the point of embarrassment last season.
It went worse than even expected in an 11-1 drubbing of Seattle by Houston. And yet for those who watched the first two innings, the possibility of a worse score seemed plausible.
The Mariners now have lost 22 of their past 24 games to the Astros, including 13 of their past 14 at Minute Maid Park.
Left-hander Nestor Cortes, who has pitched in both roles and made 80 career starts in the minor leagues, was chosen to make his second big league start.
Although it was brief in terms of innings or technically 1/3 of an inning pitched, or outs accumulated, Cortes' outing felt more interminable than pre-COVID Friday traffic on I-5.
Given a 1-0 lead thanks to Kyle Seager's first-inning sac fly, Cortes recorded just one out _ a strike out of the slumping Jose Altuve _ while facing all nine Astros batters in the lineup.
When George Springer hit a flyout to start the bottom of the first, but was awarded first base because of catcher's interference, it was a sign of things to come.
Cortes gave up a single to Josh Reddick and an error by Kyle Lewis allowed both runners to get into scoring position.
After striking out Altuve, whose batting average is well under .200, Cortes gave up a RBI infield single to Alex Bregman and then served up a three-run homer to Yordan Alvarez in his first at-bat of the 2020 season. The hulking designated hitter had been delayed by a positive test for COVID-19. But his return and power presence can only help the Astros' lineup output rivaled only in importance to a centerfield camera and the trash can where Altuve's production currently resides.
Yuli Gurriel followed with a line drive into the Crawford Boxes in left field for a solo homer that made it 5-1.
The carnage continued as Cortes walked Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker and then gave up a double to No. 9 hitter Martin Maldonado that scored both runners to push the lead to 7-1
With Cortes having thrown 41 pitches (19 strikes) and the possibility of another two outs reacquired about 41 more pitches, manager Scott Servais went to reliever Bryan Shaw to try and stop the bleeding. Shaw, who was recently called up after posting a 27.00 ERA in his first four outings, gave up a single to Springer and a double to Josh Reddick that scored Maldonado.
An error on a Altuve groundball by shortstop J.P. Crawford allowed the ninth run of the inning to score.
There seemed to be end to the inning in sight.
But Kyle Seager kept the Astros to just nine runs in the first with a brilliant diving stop on Alvarez's hard ground ball into the shift, to start an inning-ending double play.
A total 14 Astros came to the plate in that bottom of the first inning, scoring nine runs (eight earned) on five hits with three walks aided by three Seattle errors while taking almost 45 minutes.
Cortes was credited with 1/3 of an inning pitched, allowing seven earned runs along with an unearned run on five hits with two walks and a strikeout.
The Astros reached double figures in the second inning as Shaw gave up a leadoff triple to Gurriel, who scored on a Correa groundball. Shaw was charged with two runs in 1 2/3 innings of work, lowering his ERA to 18.00 on the season.
To be fair, much like this season, not every reliever struggled. Rookie right-hander Yohan Ramirez, who was a Rule 5 draft pick out of the Astros organization, threw three innings, allowing one run on one hit with three walks and four strikeouts. Newcomer Brady Lail, who was claimed off waivers on Monday and was added to the roster before the game, tossed two scoreless innings with no hits and a walk and three strikeouts.
Meanwhile Astros starter Framber Valdez, who has had an inconsistent relationship with the strikezone for his brief big league career, somehow was able right himself after a 29-pitch first inning that featured a pair of walks. Perhaps it was the lengthy rest and eight runs of cushion provided in the bottom of the inning that allowed him to get through six innings, allowing the one run on four hits with a three walks and five strikeouts.
