SPORTS

Raley, Vargas fuel split as Mariners and White Sox trade wins

PUBLISHED May 9, 2026, 12:23 AM ET

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Chicago — Luke Raley drove in a career-high seven runs on Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field, launching his first major-league grand slam and later hitting a three-run homer to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 12-8 victory over the Chicago White Sox; Munetaka Murakami also homered, tying the major-league lead with 15 homers this season. Chicago then responded Saturday when Miguel Vargas hit two home runs and drove in three while Anthony Kay worked five innings allowing one unearned run in a 6-1 White Sox win; Luis Castillo struggled in his start, and the results this weekend intensified scrutiny of Seattle's performance versus left-handed pitching and its rotation decisions this week.

By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Friday: Luke Raley hit a grand slam and three-run homer; Mariners won 12-8.
Friday: Munetaka Murakami homered, marking his 15th homer and tying MLB lead.
Saturday: Miguel Vargas hit two home runs and drove in three; White Sox won 6-1.
Saturday: Anthony Kay allowed one unearned run over five innings, improving to 2-1.
Following games: Reports highlighted Luis Castillo's struggles and Mariners' weakness versus left-handed starters.

News Intelligence

If you're a Mariners fan, this weekend's performance raises questions about the team's strategy against left-handed pitchers. It might be worth keeping an eye on how the Mariners adjust their lineup in the coming games.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 4
Right Leaning:: 0
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 4

Who Benefited

The Chicago White Sox benefited from Miguel Vargas' two-home-run game and Anthony Kay's five-inning one-run outing Saturday, while the Seattle Mariners gained a short-term offensive boost from Luke Raley's career-high seven-RBI performance on Friday.

Who Impacted

The Seattle Mariners suffered from inconsistent pitching across the two games, notably Luis Castillo's four-run outing Saturday, and the team continued to show struggles against left-handed pitching during the early 2026 season.

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