Bats Go from Quiet to Silent, Mariners Drop Third Straight to Open Texas Series
Sometimes, when a good team is in a rut of bad performance, it only takes one good break to open the floodgates and turn things around.
But when the M’s put up eight against the Guardians, or walked off the Yankees, or stole a theretofore scoreless match in extras from the Angels - or when Cal Raleigh launched one halfway into the upper deck on Monday night in Arlington, Texas - it was less like the great floodgates opening and releasing an overpowering torrent and more like little droplets of water gathering on the collection surface of a solar desalination plant: the tiny pellet of hydration was followed by yet more aridity.
Cal Raleigh finally found his stroke in his first at-bat of the game, torching a middle-middle Jacob DeGrom fastball 418 feet to right field.
What’s that old saying about the darkest time of the night? Well, the sun only shone for one at-bat in the top of the first and then quickly went away again (what’s the inverse of an eclipse?), but at least Cal Raleigh got himself into the .500s in OPS (talk about scarce droplets of water!) by the end of the night.
Mariners Give Big Goose Egg against Fried, Continue Defensive Woes
As might be expected for a team 3-3 out of the gate early in the season, the Mariners’ supposed new-look offense has looked a lot more like a lateral shift. Perhaps it’s the cold weather, perhaps it’s lack of adjustment to the batter’s eye, perhaps it’s lack of momentum for key stars who played in the World Baseball classic - but this is a ball yard that has seen a whole lot of “slow starts that will even out” turn out to be the tone set for the entire year.
And when teams like the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Astros clearly have all their ducks in a row on the first weekend, putting up a goose egg at home against one of the league’s best teams isn’t the best of signs.
Gilbert’s splitter looks limited in his outing against New York, but a better middle-inning pitch mix offers a way forward.
Despite being Seattle’s opening day starter, it doesn’t quite look like Logan Gilbert has yet reached the ace potential billing he has long come with. The first inning didn’t look good for his efficiency slump, with the hurler trying and failing to fool the Yankee hitters with buried curves and splitters on his way to 28 pitches and two runs in the frame.
Old Mariners Bugbears Continue Biting in Opening Day Loss to Guardians
The more things change, the more they stay the same. It’s hard to say there wasn’t an air of that feeling in T-Mobile Park after the Mariners dropped their Opening Day contest 6-4 thanks to some shoddy relief work, unimpressive defense, and one-trick offense.
Four solo home runs were all the production the M’s could muster, and in a lot of games against the Cleveland Guardians, that might be enough (they scored slightly less than four runs per game last year). But Logan Gilbert once again struggled to go deep, outfielders lacked urgency on fly balls with men on base, and Gabe Speier caught the bad end of some J-Ram magic with men on base.
But for all the lingering of long-lamented woes, the newest guy on the roster burst his way onto the scene in a big way.
Brendan Donovan made the best first impression possible as the M’s new leadoff man.
The Mariners franchise is entering its 50th season this year, having notched its first game in the books all the way back on April 6, 1977. In all that time, no leadoff Mariner had hit a home run in his first at-bat of Opening Day. Not Dave Collins all the way back in that first season nor Harold Reynolds in the late ‘80s nor Ichiro in his Hall-of-Fame Mariners career. Of the 49 season-inaugural batters, not one had left the yard in that first at-bat.
Mariners Release Opening Day Roster; Crawford, Miller Notably Absent with Injury
With opening day right around the corner for the Seattle Mariners - at 7:10 p.m. Pacific on Thursday against the Guardians - the team has released its first 26-man roster for the 2026 season. The top of the depth chart, of course, is very much all over the M’s roster, from returning superstars in Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez to new additions like Brendan Donovan and Jose A. Ferrer.
But of course it is not all sunshine and roses for the defending AL West champions. Longtime shortstop J.P. Crawford is out for the beginning of the year with a shoulder injury while Bryce Miller is working through an injury of his own, leaving holes in the middle infield and the back of the rotation. Leo Rivas is going to get some playing time at short in the meantime (and perhaps Cole Young might swivel
Is Logan Gilbert Ready to Re-Establish Himself as Cy Young Contender for Mariners?
A lot went right for the 2025 Seattle Mariners. Cal Raleigh hit as many homers as some guy named Babe Ruth. The team made it all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS, farther than the franchise has ever gone before.
On the list of things that did not go perfectly, Logan Gilbert’s season was one of them. It’s not that he had a bad season. He just didn’t have one up to his lofty standards.
“That's always the biggest goal for me is 32 starts, 200 innings,” Gilbert told the media at the beginning of Spring Training. “That's the only thing I really care about.”
10 Over/Under Predictions for the Seattle Mariners in 2026
The Seattle Mariners are set to begin one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise history. After getting closer to the World Series than ever before, Seattle has some serious momentum heading in 2026.
With that, let’s set the table for the 2026 MLB season with 10 Mariners-themed “over/under” scenarios and dive into whether or not the M’s will hit the over.
Mariners Repeat or Astros Return; Who is AL West’s Deadliest Warrior? Analyzing Division as 2026 Season Approaches
Ever since the Mariners’ dramatic September sweep on Houston’s home ground that all but sealed the division, 2026 has shaped up to be a close rematch between the two teams. Which team, if any, has the edge going into the season?
WATCH: Top 5 Offseason Priorities For Mariners After Re-signing Josh Naylor
After locking up their sweet-swinging first baseman long-term, the Mariners still have plenty of work to do with the offseason just getting underway, including figuring out the next move at second and/or third base. What options could they pursue to check off their biggest remaining boxes?
WATCH: Revisiting Cal Raleigh, Mariners’ Historic 2025 Season
Falling in Game 7 of the ALCS, the Mariners ultimately came up short of their goal of snapping the franchise’s World Series drought, but 2025 proved to still be a historic one for Cal Raleigh and company.
Three Errors, Three Double Plays, Third Jays Win: Mariners Drop Game 6 in Toronto
The Mariners had a chance to punch a ticket to the World Series in Game 6 of the ALCS, but due to a whole host of preventable mistakes, they will face elimination for the second time this season. How did Seattle drop the ball on Sunday night?
Analysis: Mariners’ Painted Pitches Weakened Blue Jays Bats in Games 1 & 2
The odd silence from the Blue Jays’ bats in the first two games of the ALCS might seem strange, but when you look at where the Mariners have been pitching, Seattle’s shutdown statements begin to become clear.
WATCH: How Mariners Stymied Blue Jays’ Bats to Build 2-0 ALCS Lead
Bucking the odds after a 15-inning win in Game 5 of the ALDS to beat the Tigers, the Mariners came to Toronto off of short rest and shut down Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays to take a 2-0 lead in the ALCS. How has the pitching staff gotten it done for Seattle?
Rapid Reaction: Mariners Stuff Blue Jays 10-3 in Statement Win on Canadian Thanksgiving
Despite some early uncertainty, the Mariners delivered a statement Game 2 win in Rogers Centre, tapping a variety of heroes as they return home with a big advantage for Game 3.
Seven-Game Set Begins in Toronto: Pitching Matchups for Games 1-3 of M’s-Jays ALCS
The Mariners’ most important series in 24 years begins on Sunday night as the team goes on the road to Toronto. How do Seattle’s short-rested starters match up against the first three guys the Blue Jays will offer?
Final Thoughts: Mariners Found Long Path to Victory During Instant Classic Game 5
A 15-inning epic, a long-awaited return, an instant classic. The Mariners’ marathon win over the Detroit Tigers defied logic and expectations, but perhaps that was the only way such a victory could occur.
Rapid Reaction: Polanco’s Walk-Off Single Propels Mariners Past Tigers in 15-Inning Thriller to Clinch ALCS Berth
In a near five-hour baseball extravaganza with over 500 pitches thrown and 15 pitchers used, the Mariners advanced to the ALCS for the first time since 2001 with a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers in 15 innings thanks to a walkoff single by Jorge Polanco.
‘Vintage’ Logan Gilbert, ‘Grind-‘Em-Out’ At-Bats Prove Pivotal in Mariners’ Game 3 Rain-Delayed Victory
Despite two close battles at home, the Mariners’ relatively more comfortable Tuesday triumph showcased what often turns Seattle’s solid team into an excellent one.
Rapid Reaction: M’s Cage Tigers 8-4 in Game 3 of ALDS, Lead Series 2-1
It wasn’t a pitching duel like Games 1 and 2, but things fell into place for the Mariners in Game 3 while Tigers manager A. J. Hinch’s best laid plans went awry.
WATCH: Four Notes from Dan Wilson’s Pregame Presser Ahead of ALDS Game 2
With the season at risk of slipping away and Tarik Skubal staring down the offense, Mariners manager Dan Wilson offered some comments as his team gears up for Game 2.
Absent Ace? How Bryan Woo’s Availability Affects M’s ALDS Starting Rotation Scenarios
Bryan Woo’s injury status is the biggest “known unknown” going into the Mariners’ ALDS against the Tigers. How might the rotation look in the series for each of Woo’s availability possibilities?
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