The Mariners' Spring Training Finale Was Absolutely Loaded With Good Vibes
The Seattle Mariners just wrapped their Cactus League schedule, and let me tell you, the last few days gave us exactly what we needed heading into Thursday's season opener at T-Mobile Park. The big names showed up when it mattered, and that's a seriously good sign for opening day against the Cleveland Guardians.
Friday's Offensive Explosion Set the Tone
Last Friday was the kind of spring training game that gets you hyped. The M's absolutely demolished the Guardians (who they open the season against, by the way) 20-8, racking up 26 hits and five home runs. Cole Young went absolutely nuclear with two of those dingers, including a 478-foot moonshot that was the longest measured homer of the entire spring. That's not normal. Julio Rodríguez chipped in his own homer, his first of Cactus League play. Rodríguez, Young, and new leadoff man Brendan Donovan each had three hits, while Victor Robles went off for four hits and a homer. And get this: Dominic Canzone went 5 for however many at-bats and hit a grand slam. The bullpen was locked in too, with Matt Brash and Jose Ferrer each throwing scoreless innings.
Pitching Depth Looked Real Too
Saturday's 7-1 loss to the Cubs stung, but George Kirby's performance was money: one earned run over 5 1/3 innings. Eduard Bazardo, a key reliever in Venezuela's WBC championship run, threw a perfect inning out of the bullpen. Sunday belonged to starter Bryan Woo, who absolutely dealt six innings of one-run ball with just three hits allowed and four strikeouts, no walks. That's the kind of pitching you need in October. All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz got his own scoreless inning. Oh, and Mitch Garver hit a two-run homer the same day he locked down the backup catcher role after his late free agency re-signing.
Monday's 10-3 loss to the Padres wasn't pretty, but Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena (yeah, those two names have been in headlines together) delivered big hits. Raleigh went 2 for 3 with a double, and Arozarena homered for the second time in less than a week. Luis Castillo was solid too: five innings, five strikeouts, one run on four hits and a walk.
Now It Gets Real
The Mariners have a workout at T-Mobile Park on Wednesday, then opening day Thursday at 7:10 p.m. against the Guardians. This team looks ready. Come Thursday night, we finally find out if spring training's promise translates to October baseball.
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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.