Cole Young -- General News

The Seattle Mariners defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-3 on Wednesday, clinching their second consecutive series win on the road. Second-year second baseman Cole Young was the catalyst, going 2 for 4 with a double and 3 RBIs. Young's most impactful moment came in the top of the ninth inning with one out and runners on second and third. With the Twins protecting a 3-2 lead and their infield drawn in, Young made contact on a 2-2 splitter from reliever Eric Orze, producing a soft 66 mph single to center field that scored two runs and gave the Mariners the lead. A stolen base by Leo Rivas on first base earlier in the at-bat proved crucial, as it prevented the Twins from attempting a double play and put Young in position to drive in the go-ahead runs. Young also contributed in the seventh inning, driving a double to the opposite field to tie the game at 2-2.

Young's performance continues a remarkable 2026 season. The 22-year-old extended his RBI streak to six games and currently leads Major League Baseball with six go-ahead or tying RBIs in the seventh inning or later. He became the fourth Mariners player age 23 or younger to post a five-game RBI streak. Defensively and overall, Young leads all MLB second basemen in bWAR (1.9) and leads baseball in defensive bWAR regardless of position. Through 32 games, he is hitting .286 with a .777 OPS, 3 home runs, 4 doubles, 1 triple, and 19 RBIs—already outpacing his rookie year production of 4 homers, 7 doubles, 1 triple, and 24 RBIs across 77 games.

The victory improved the Mariners to 16-16, putting them just one-half game behind the Athletics (15-14) for first place in the American League West. Seattle returns home for a Friday night game against the Kansas City Royals at 6:40 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 on Seattle Sports radio.

Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young saw his batting average increase by 8 points to .266 following an official scoring decision on Tuesday, despite not playing that day. MLB determined that a play from May 2 against the Kansas City Royals should be reclassified from an error to a hit. The play in question was a one-hopper hit at over 100 miles per hour toward Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. While the ball contacted Pasquantino's glove, the official scorer concluded it was not a play he could reasonably be expected to make, making the reclassification appropriate. This ruling changed Young's record from 0-for-1 to 1-for-1 in that at-bat, improving his overall batting average and also reducing Pasquantino's season error count by one. Such scoring changes are judgment calls made by official scorers and can be appealed and reversed based on replay review and analysis.

The Seattle Mariners defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-3 on Wednesday at Target Field, capping a 5-1 road trip and returning to .500 (16-16) for the first time since April 3. Cole Young, the Mariners' 22-year-old second baseman, provided the decisive moments with two clutch hits: a game-tying RBI double in the seventh inning and a go-ahead single in the ninth inning that scored two runs. Young has now recorded an RBI in six consecutive games, bringing his season total to 19 RBIs, which leads the team and surpasses catcher Cal Raleigh's 18. Cal Raleigh contributed a 398-foot sacrifice fly in the ninth, which resulted in a remarkable catch by Byron Buxton. Andrés Muñoz secured his sixth save to close out the victory. The Mariners' bullpen was tested when leverage reliever Matt Brash exited with an apparent injury during the game.

The Seattle Mariners will host the Kansas City Royals on Friday in a three-game series opener after completing a successful 5-1 road trip against St. Louis and Minnesota. This turnaround is notable after the Mariners lost eight of their first nine road contests. The Mariners secured a 5-3 win over the Twins on Wednesday, with second baseman Cole Young delivering a crucial two-run single up the middle in the ninth inning.

Young, 22, has emerged as a critical performer in close games. He leads Major League Baseball with six go-ahead or game-tying RBIs in the seventh inning or later and has driven in at least one run in six consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors. During the road trip, Young went 11-for-22 with two doubles, one home run, and eight RBIs. He is batting .286 on the season with three home runs and 19 total RBIs.

The Royals present a struggling opponent, sitting in the American League Central cellar. Kansas City fell 6-3 to Oakland on Thursday while leaving 12 runners on base and going 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The Royals are 3-12 on the road this season, averaging just 2.6 runs per game in away contests. Manager Dan Wilson highlighted Young's emotional control and pitch recognition as key strengths, noting his ability to use the opposite field effectively.

The Seattle Mariners defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-3 on April 29, 2026, at Target Field to win the series and secure a .500 record through April. Cole Young provided the decisive plays in a comeback victory, driving in two runs with a single up the middle in the ninth inning after the Mariners were down and facing a drawn-in infield with one out. Young's heroics came after he had also delivered a game-tying double in the seventh inning with two outs. Both of his crucial hits came with two strikes, demonstrating composure in high-pressure situations.

Twins starter Taj Bradley was effective through seven innings, surrendering only four hits and two walks while throwing over 110 pitches. The Twins' only run before Young's ninth-inning heroics came on a solo home run by Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford in the third. The Mariners' pitching staff struggled with allowing weak contact that fell for hits, though George Kirby worked 5.2 innings and kept the game manageable. Despite not generating numerous scoring opportunities against Bradley, the Mariners converted 3 of 5 opportunities with runners in scoring position to secure the victory. Manager Dan Wilson highlighted Young's value as a clutch performer late in games from the bottom of the order.