Spring Training's Over and the Mariners Stars Just Showed Us Something Scary
The Mariners wrapped up Cactus League play Monday, and let me tell you, Seattle's big names came out swinging heading into Thursday's season opener at T-Mobile Park. The vibes are immaculate right now, and we're about to find out if this team can actually make some noise this year.
That Friday Explosion Was Unreal
Rewind to Friday: the M's demolished the Cleveland Guardians 20-8, and we're talking about a clinic. Twenty-six hits. Five home runs. Cole Young went absolutely nuclear with two dingers of his own, including a 478-foot moonshot that was the longest measured homer of the entire spring. Perennial All-Star Julio Rodriguez also went yard in that game, his first of spring training, though he'd already homered in the World Baseball Classic too. New leadoff man Brendan Donovan, Rodriguez, and Young each dropped three hits. Victor Robles had four and went deep. Dominic Canzone? Five hits and a grand slam. Even the bullpen showed up, with Matt Brash and Jose Ferrer each throwing scoreless innings. This is the kind of offensive explosion that should have Seattle fans buzzing going into the regular season.
The Pitching Has Been Money
Saturday's 7-1 loss to the Cubs stings on the scoreboard, but George Kirby kept things tight on the mound with one earned run over 5 and a third innings. Eduard Bazardo, who was a key reliever in Venezuela's WBC championship run, threw a perfect inning out of the bullpen. Then Sunday against the White Sox was all about starter Bryan Woo. Six innings of one-run ball, three hits, no walks, four strikeouts in a 4-2 win. All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz added a scoreless inning. Mitch Garver crushed a two-run homer that same day and locked in the backup catcher role after a late free agent signing. Monday's 10-3 loss to San Diego wasn't pretty, but Luis Castillo delivered five innings with five strikeouts, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk.
Opening Day is Finally Here
Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena both came through with big hits Monday against the Padres. Raleigh went 2 for 3 with a double, and Arozarena homered for the second time in less than a week. The squad gets a workout at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday afternoon, then it's go time Thursday night. First pitch against the Guardians is at 7:10 p.m. Seattle Sports will be live all day at the park, with coverage starting at 10 a.m. This is what we've been waiting for. Let's go.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.