Former Seattle Mariners’ standout pitcher Marco Gonzales faced a challenging night on Wednesday against New York Yankees’ powerhouse Giancarlo Stanton, conceding three home runs. This performance marked a significant moment in spring training, as Gonzales found himself on the unfavorable end of the matchup.
On Wednesday night, former Seattle Mariners’ ace Marco Gonzales experienced a notable moment in spring training history, as he allowed three home runs to New York Yankees’ slugger Giancarlo Stanton, marking a challenging outing for the pitcher.
Stanton’s impressive three-home run display marked only the second occurrence of a three-home run game in spring training since 2006, with both instances happening within the last week.
Sarah Langs of MLB.com also shared an unfortunate observation regarding Gonzales.
Pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Gonzales lasted 3.2 innings, allowing nine earned runs on 10 hits. He conceded four home runs, resulting in a spring ERA of 9.88.
Gonzales had a tumultuous offseason, experiencing two trades. Initially moving from Seattle to the Atlanta Braves as part of the deal involving Jarred Kelenic, he later found himself traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In Pittsburgh, he is expected to join Mitch Keller and Martin Perez in the starting rotation.
When Gonzales was acquired by the Mariners in 2017, he was seen as a foundational piece for the team’s future contending efforts. He proved to be just that, particularly in 2018 when he won 13 games. This was during the period when the Mariners were making a push with notable players like Nelson Cruz, Kyle Seager, Felix Hernandez, and Robinson Cano.
As the team embarked on its rebuilding phase, Gonzales remained a crucial figure, assuming the role of the ace for both the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Despite the Mariners’ struggles, Gonzales showcased his talent by winning 16 games in 2019, despite the team’s overall record of just 68 wins. In the shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19, he maintained his strong performance with a 7-2 record. In 2021, as the Mariners aimed to return to contention, Gonzales added 10 more wins to his record.
