On this night, the Mariners lost a ballgame. Specifically, the Mariners lost a ballgame that should have been won. Not because of their record. Not because this has been the M’s strongest start in fifteen years. Not because of how much fun they have been to watch.
They should have won this game because of James Paxton.
I overuse the word “stellar.” To describe Paxton’s start tonight with such a word would not only be an understatement, it would be an error of the highest degree. James Paxton was more than stellar.