The Seattle Mariners-New York Yankees rivalry may be making a comeback for the first time since perhaps 2001.
Seattle defeated the Yankees on Wednesday by the final of 4-3 to earn the series victory in their three-game set. After the game, Mariners reliever Paul Sewald, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to pick up the save, took a swipe at the Bronx Bombers.
“We don’t have Aaron Judge on our team,” said Sewald, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. “We don’t have a $35 million pitcher [Gerrit Cole]. But we have 26 guys that are all really good and all have a key part of this team. And when they do their job, we end up winning more games than we’re losing and that’s the key.”
The Mariners do have a bottom-ten payroll in the league at $112 million. Yet they still sit at 61-52 (good for the second American League Wild Card spot) thanks to colossal contributions from players on team-friendly contracts like rookie phenom Julio Rodriguez and All-Star slugger Ty France. Meanwhile, the Yankees have over double that payroll at $251 million, which is third in Major League Baseball and tops in the AL.
Of course, the Yankees are still the AL’s team to beat at a sparkling 71-41 on the year. But with the Mariners also beating out the Yankees in other ways this season, one could argue that what Seattle has done is more impressive.
