Hour 3 - Here's The Thing, Jeff Passan

The Mariners' surprising 5-1 road trip has reignited hope, with rookie Cole Young emerging as a surprise catalyst—not Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, or Josh Naylor, but a player who’s transformed physically and mentally since last season. Jeff Passan, joining Brock and Salk alongside longtime friend Greg Bishop, breaks down Young’s evolution from a struggling hitter to a .500+ performer, attributing it to a deliberate shift toward strength and plate discipline. Passan argues that Young’s rapid development reflects the Mariners’ elite player development system, which excels at evolving players like Emerson Hancock—whose radically different mechanics and sweeper have made him a different pitcher overnight. Despite a rocky start, Passan remains bullish on the Mariners’ World Series chances, citing under-the-radar depth and the potential of a big-league-ready Cade Anderson. He also dismisses the Traject machine as a tool, not a solution, for platoon matchups, emphasizing that real game experience still trumps simulation. The episode is laced with humor, including a story of Passan’s underage ID arrest in West Virginia and a playful debate over who has better hair: Passan or Jerry DiPoto.