SEATTLE -- As the season winds down to its final two weeks, there are still some things to learn from this year’s Mariners team. Here are three things to watch as they hit the home stretch of September:

SEATTLE -- As the season winds down to its final two weeks, there are still some things to learn from this year’s Mariners team. Here are three things to watch as they hit the home stretch of September:

1) The kids are finally playing

Much of this season was a holding pattern for the Mariners' Major League roster, as a mix of veteran players filled out spots clearly targeted in the future for promising prospects who aren’t quite ready. But some of those youngsters are finally starting to arrive and they’ve brought a welcome boost of energy.

The immediate impact of Kyle Lewis is the best thing Seattle could have hoped for from its September callups. With four home runs and nine RBIs in six games, Lewis looks and acts the part of a legitimate elite prospect. And frankly, it’s been awhile since Mariners fans could enjoy that kind of buzz.

But Lewis isn’t the only youngster to keep an eye on. Shed Long has quietly posted a .314/.333/.514 line in 11 games since being brought back up for the final month, and he is 8-for-20 with a double and home run in his last four games while hitting in the leadoff role.

Justus Sheffield is starting to look like a strong rotation candidate for 2020, having allowed just one run in 15 innings over his last three starts until a rough fifth in Sunday’s 11-10 win over the White Sox. He’ll get two more outings -- against the Orioles and A’s -- before the season ends.

Justin Dunn clearly was overamped in his MLB debut Thursday when he walked five in the first frame against the Reds, but he had a strong year for Double-A Arkansas and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares Wednesday in Pittsburgh now that he’s got his feet wet.

These top prospects -- and others like Jarred Kelenic, Julio Rodriguez, Logan Gilbert, Evan White, George Kirby and Cal Raleigh -- are the real keys to the Mariners’ building plans. And while it’s going to require considerably more patience, that plan now is starting to be visible at the big-league level.

2) There’s some nuggets in that ‘pen

Coming into this season, Seattle's bullpen loomed as the greatest question mark, and for good reason. General manager Jerry Dipoto had traded away Edwin Diaz, Alex Colome, Juan Nicasio and James Pazos to acquire promising prospects, while letting Nick Vincent and other veterans depart in free agency.

It was a “season of opportunity” for the newcomers, with the rebuilding Mariners willing to use this year to give a group of new relievers the chance to sink or swim. There was considerable sinking early -- resulting in a number of blowout losses -- and a high degree of turnover.

Remember Ruben Alaniz, Jesse Biddle, Parker Markel, Nick Rumbelow and Tayler Scott? Those five relievers combined for a 12.89 ERA and 55 hits allowed in 28 2/3 innings in 28 appearances. None are still with the organization.

But there have been far fewer blowout losses of late and a number of interesting arms have emerged, including Austin Adams, Sam Tuivailala, Anthony Bass, Brandon Brennan, Zac Grotz, Matt Magill, Erik Swanson and Taylor Guilbeau.

“We’re starting to get there,” said manager Scott Servais. “We also have some really interesting guys coming that aren’t here, that didn’t have to be protected or aren’t quite ready. I think we’ll have a very, very competitive Spring Training for a lot of those spots.

“When you keep turning over the rocks, eventually you’re going to find something under them. That’s what we’ve been doing. We’re panning for gold and we’ve found a few nuggets.”

3) One last run for the King

It’s not really fair to still call Felix Hernandez the “King,” as he’s clearly no longer the dominant force who ruled the Mariners' rotation for most of his career. But as hard as it’s been to watch him struggle through these last couple seasons, Hernandez remains a noble and proud competitor -- albeit one with a worn-down right arm -- and deserves the chance to pitch his way to the finish line for a franchise he represented so well for so long.

Hernandez stayed with the Mariners through thick and thin. He chose to remain in Seattle and be the face of a franchise that never made the postseason despite his decade of dominance. He stood at his locker to meet with the media and face the questions after every one of his 416 starts since 2005 -- whether good, bad or ugly.

Hernandez won more games and struck out more batters than any pitcher in franchise history. He threw a perfect game in 2012, won the '10 American League Cy Young Award and ignited King’s Court, the most unique cheering section in MLB.

No, it hasn’t been pretty again this injury-plagued season. But even at 1-6 with a 6.31 ERA, Hernandez went out and threw seven innings of one-run ball Saturday against the White Sox.

While there’ll be no official announcement that these are going to be King Felix's last two starts in a Seattle uniform (since he doesn’t become a free agent until season’s end), there’s no question the 33-year-old is in his final days as a Mariner.

So mark the calendar. Hernandez pitches Friday in Baltimore, then appears set for his final start in Seattle on Thursday, Sept. 26, against the A’s. And whether it ends good, bad or ugly, he’ll no doubt get a standing ovation from a fan base that has appreciated the loyalty of his royalty for 15 years.