Mariners Game #6 Preview: 4/1/25, Tigers at Mariners

The Mariners offense hit a new season high for runs scored in a game, but couldn’t climb out of the early hole Emerson Hancock put them in last night. Today they try to get back to .500 on the young season, with Opening Day starter Logan Gilbert on the hill as the rotation turns over for the first time this year.

Casey Mize will get the start for Detroit. Mize was the first overall pick in 2018, a draft where Gilbert went 14th, but due to the former missing two years with TJ surgery, Gilbert has racked up about 10 more WAR over his career than Mize. Mize has also settled into more of a contact manager than a strikeout artist, although that could change as he continues to evolve as a pitcher now that he’s finally healthy. Read more about Mize in our series preview.

Today’s Lineups:

It’s a bit surprising to see the Tigers shuffle their lineup so significantly the night after they scored nine runs, but A.J. Hinch will A.J. Hinch. Detroit is giving recently recalled Justyn-Henry Malloy the night off, moving Zach McKinstry into the leadoff spot and moving him out of right field and over to the hot corner. Manuel Margot will take over in right. Wild West tourist town sheriff Jake Rogers gets the start behind the plate in place of Archie comics character Dillon Dingler, and Ryan Kreidler, who usually plays at shortstop, will get the start in center field while Riley Greene gets a DH day to keep his bat in the lineup.

The Mariners also have a slightly different lineup behind Logan, with Miles Mastrobuoni getting his first start of the season:

News:

The reason for Mastrobuoni in the lineup: Jorge Polanco’s wife is having a baby. Polanco will be away from the team for the rest of this series and will meet up with the team in San Francisco. Leo Rivas has been recalled from Tacoma to fill in while Polo is gone.

The Mariners also optioned Emerson Hancock back to Tacoma and selected Jhonathan Díaz from Triple-A.

One final note, George Kirby is “on track” throwing in Arizona. “I know he’s anxious to get back, obviously, but we’ll continue to follow the protocol and get him out there as soon as he can.”

Captain’s Log:

Dan Wilson on Emerson Hancock’s tough night:

“We talked about it a little bit, just the tough luck he ran into and those [softly-hit] balls. And that’s tough, no doubt about it, but that’s baseball. And I know he knows that, he’s been through it before, but again just the way he attacks the zone with his stuff and the adjustments he’s made, he’s on the right path.”

Today’s Game Information:

Game time: 6:40 PT

TV: ROOT Sports NW, with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryan Rowland-Smith

New this season, you can stream the ROOT broadcast with their new direct-to-consumer app. More details here.

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.

Today in Mariners History:

1970: In the first of what will be a string of heartbreaks for Seattle fans watching their teams get snatched away, the Seattle Pilots move to Milwaukee and become the Brewers. This should be the real fake rivalry, not the Vedder Cup.
1997: Ken Griffey Jr.’s first two at-bats of the season are two home runs, both off the Yankees’ David Cone, as the Mariners secure a 4-2 Opening Night win.
1998: David Segui homers from both sides of the plate in the same game, the second Mariners to do so (before Cal Raleigh became the third), as the Mariners lose 9-7 to Cleveland.
2011: Félix Hernández throws the first nine-inning complete game in Mariners Opening Day history at Oakland.
2013: Félix Hernández shuts out the A’s over 7.2 innings, striking out eight and allowed just three hits as the Mariners won 2-0. It was the third shutout in Mariners Opening Day history and the Mariners’ seventh straight Opening Day victory.
2021: The Mariners come back from a five-run deficit to defeat the Giants 8-7 on Opening Day. The win came on a bases-loaded walk by Jake Fraley.

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