AS YOU MAY KNOW…the Mariners begin their 49th season as a franchise tonight…Seattle is 29–19 in 48 all-time Opening Day games, best Opening Day record in American League history and 2nd-best in the Major Leagues behind the New York Mets (.651/41–22), but…DID YOU KNOW?…that Seattle is 15–5 over their last 20 Opening Day games, best Opening Day record in MLB since 2005?…from 2005–24, Seattle’s 15–5 Opening Day record (.750) outranks the Dodgers (.700/14–6), Orioles (.700/14–6), Mets (.700/14–6), Blue Jays (.650/13–7) and Tigers (.650/13–7)…in 30 all-time Opening Day games in their home ballpark, the Mariners own a 19–11 record (.633), 4th-best such record in the Majors.
TONIGHT’S TILT…the Mariners and Athletics play the first of a 4-game series to open the 2025 regular season…Logan Gilbert makes his first career Opening Day start…tonight’s game will be televised live on ROOT SPORTS with Aaron Goldsmith and Ryan Rowland-Smith on the call…the game will be broadcast live on Seattle Sports (710 AM) and Mariners.com with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr. on the call.
ODDS AND ENDS…the Mariners begin their 49th season in franchise history with an Opening Day night game against the Athletics…it marks the 12th time the clubs have met in the first game of the season (last: 2019 in Tokyo, Japan)…Seattle is 8–3 in those matchups, having won 6 consecutive season openers (2007, ‘10-’13, ’19) against the American League West Division foe A’s.
· Home Is Where The Heart Is — In 2024, the Mariners went 49–32 (.605) in 81 home games, 2nd-best home record in the American League and 4th-best in MLB.
· Logan’s Run — Logan Gilbert is the 19th different pitcher to start for the Mariners on Opening Day.
· Strive For Five — The Mariners have put together 4 consecutive winning seasons (2021-c), tied for the most consecutive winning seasons in franchise history (also: 2000–03).
MARINERS EXTEND CAL RALEIGH TO 6-YEAR CONTRACT…the Mariners announced yesterday they extended catcher Cal Raleigh to a 6-year contract through the 2030 season, with a vesting player option for 2031…the 28-year-old backstop has led MLB catchers in home runs in 3 consecutive seasons and catcher caught stealing in 2 consecutive seasons…Cal led the Mariners in games played (153), plate appearances (628), home runs (34), RBI (100), extra-base hits (50) and total bases (238) last season.
OPENING DAY ROSTER…the Mariners set their Opening Day, 26-man roster…the roster includes 13 pitchers: starters Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and Emerson Hancock…right-handed relievers Eduard Bazardo, Andrés Muñoz, Gregory Santos, Collin Snider, Trent Thornton and Carlos Vargas…left-handed relievers Tayler Saucedo and Gabe Speier…the roster includes 13 position players: catcher Cal Raleigh and catcher/designated Mitch Garver…infielders Ryan Bliss, J.P. Crawford, Jorge Polanco, Donovan Solano, and Rowdy Tellez…outfielders Randy Arozarena, Victor Robles and Julio Rodríguez, and infielder/outfielders Miles Mastrobuoni, Dylan Moore and Luke Raley…22 of the 26 appeared in a game for Seattle in 2024 (23 of 26 were in the Mariners organization, with Vargas being the lone holdover yet to make his Seattle debut)…the 3 newcomers to the organization are Mastrobuoni, Solano and Tellez…additionally, Seattle has 3 players on the 15-day Injured List to begin the season: RHP Matt Brash (right UCL sprain), RHP George Kirby (right shoulder inflammation) and RHP Troy Taylor (right lat strain) and 1 player on the 60-day IL: RHP Jackson Kowar (right UCL tear).
THE COACHING STAFF…manager Dan Wilson enters his first full season as Manager after taking the helm on Aug. 22, 2024…returning to the Mariners coaching staff in the same roles are Bullpen and Catching Coach Tony Arnerich, Director of Pitching Strategy Trent Blank, Assistant Pitching Coach and Major League Pitching Strategist Danny Farquhar, Infield Coach Perry Hill and Pitching Coach Pete Woodworth…transitioning to new roles are Bench Coach Manny Acta (previously served as Third Base Coach), Senior Director of Hitting Strategy Edgar Martinez (previously served as Hitting Coach from 8/22/24-end of season) and Third Base Coach Kristopher Negrón (previously served as First Base Coach)…joining the staff this season are Major League Field Coordinator Louis Boyd, Assistant Hitting Coach Bobby Magallanes, Hitting Coach Kevin Seitzer and First Base Coach Eric Young Jr….Fleming Báez and Justin Novak both return as Bullpen Catchers.
FINISHING ’24 STRONG…over the Mariners last 34 games in 2024 (8/23-end), they went 21–13 (.618) after Dan Wilson took over as manager and Edgar Martinez as hitting coach (currently Director of Hitting Strategy)…the 21–13 record was the 2nd-best in the AL during that stretch, trailing only Detroit.
HOME PITCHIN’…in 2024, Seattle’s pitching staff went 49–32 with 21 saves and a 2.85 ERA (234 ER, 739.0 IP) with 168 walks and 795 strikeouts in 81 home games…the 2.85 home ERA led MLB and was the best home ERA in franchise history, surpassing the 2.93 ERA during the 2014 season…the Mariners limited opponents to a .205 batting average at T-Mobile Park, tied for the 6th-lowest in MLB history…Seattle’s .256 opponent on-base percentage at home was 4th-lowest in MLB history.
CAL GOES PLATINUM…Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh won a Rawlings AL Gold Glove Award in 2024, also named the AL Platinum Glove Award winner and becoming the first Seattle player to go Platinum…Cal led the Majors in catcher caught stealing for the second season in a row and became the third catcher to lead the Majors in CCS in consecutive seasons (since it was tracked in 1974), joining Jim Sundberg in 1975–76 (Sundberg tied for the ML lead in ’75) and Hall of Famer Gary Carter in 1982–83.
THE ELECTRIFYING OUTFIELD…the Mariners starting outfield trio of Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodríguez and Victor Robles begins its first full season together…the trio started 20 games together in 2024…Arozarena is the only MLB player with 20+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases in each of the last 4 seasons (2021-c)…Julio is 1 of 2 players in MLB history with 20+ HR and 20+ SB in each of his first 3 career seasons, along with Bobby Witt Jr.-KC (also 2022-c)…Robles hit .328 (75×229) and went 30-for-31 in stolen base attempts in 77 games with Seattle last season.
MARINERS ANNOUNCE “ROOT SPORTS STREAM APP”…prior to the start of the 2025 season, the Mariners announced the launch of the ROOT SPORTS Stream app, a direct-to-consumer and TV Everywhere streaming app providing sports fans in the Northwest access to all ROOT SPORTS programming, including Mariners games, and other Mariners-related content, with no blackouts and no cable or satellite subscription or contract required…the monthly subscription service is $19.99 per month.
TOP FARM SYSTEM…the Mariners have a consensus top-five farm system in the Majors…Seattle’s system is ranked #1 by The Athletic/Keith Law, #5 by MLB Pipeline and #5 by Baseball America…the Mariners have 7 prospects in MLB Pipeline’s Top-100, tied for most in MLB with the Cubs: INF Colt Emerson (#20), OF Lazaro Montes (#42), INF Cole Young (#49), C Harry Ford (#64), INF Felnin Celesten (#73), OF Jonny Farmelo (#95) and INF Michael Arroyo (#97).
2025 SPRING RECAP…the Mariners finished 2025 Cactus League play with an 11–19–2 record…Seattle’s 199 runs scored were 2nd-most in the Majors behind the Royals (204 R)…the spring was highlighted by Julio Rodríguez leading MLB with 20 RBI, with Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh sharing the team lead with 5 home runs…”Spring Breakout” took place on March 14, where a team of Mariners top prospects took on Guardians top prospects in Goodyear…right-hander Matt Brash tossed an inning (2 strikeouts) in Seattle’s final spring game on March 24, his first appearance in a game since late 2023 (recovering from Tommy John surgery).
