For a second, it looked as if that seventh-inning chant of “Let’s go Mariners!” was going to morph into “Same old Mariners!” by game’s end.
The team that has garnered a reputation for offensive anemia was on the cusp of again failing its ace.
Then came an eighth inning in which two home runs turned a one-run deficit into a two-run lead, igniting the 42,871 on hand at T-Mobile Park. And though it’s impossible to make an assumption about a ball club based on one game, on this opening day — the M’s filled their fans with hope.
Who knows what’s in store for the Mariners as the 162-game slate progresses. They are a squad that fell just shy of the playoffs last season and added little-to-no offensive impact this offseason.
But if there was ever a way to kick off a season — if there was ever a sequence to jump-start a frustrated fan base, it came in Thursday’s 4-2 win.
“Great ballgame. Great way to start the year. The late-inning heroics were unbelievable,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “The fans were outstanding. It was great to be at home for this one.”
The circumstance: The Mariners and A’s were tied at 1-1 through seven innings, thanks much in part to Seattle starting pitcher Logan Gilbert’s A-list performance. Despite being beaned in the behind on a 111-mph line drive in the third inning, the right-hander struck out eight batters and allowed just two hits in his seven frames of work.
This wasn’t an atypical performance. There was a reason Gilbert got the nod as the opening day starter after posting a 3.23 ERA last year while leading the American League in innings pitched and WHIP.
But the Mariners failing to provide him or any of their other starters with run support was also typical. After the team finished 29th in MLB in batting average last year, Seattle’s ownership miffed fans by failing to supply an impact bat. So when the A’s took a 2-1 lead with a homer in the top of the eighth, it seemed as if another Mariner-esque loss was coming.
Not this time.
Instead, left fielder Randy Arozarena — who was traded to Seattle in the middle of last season — socked a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the eighth to tie the score. Designated hitter Luke Raley reached first on a walk the following at-bat, then third-baseman Jorge Polanco ripped a 413-foot home run to center to put the Mariners up 4-2. Closer Andrés Muñoz picked up the save in the ninth after a double play, and the M’s officially started 2025 1-0.
It’s hard to say who the MVP was Thursday, but Polanco probably gets the nod over Gilbert. He went 3 for 3 and added a sacrifice bunt that put Mariners on second and third with two outs in the sixth inning, although they failed to score. This is a former All-Star who battled injury for much of last season, which was one of the least productive of his career. If he returns to form, Seattle could be dangerous.
This is one thing Mariners fan Spencer Peaty mentioned before the game, even if he didn’t name Polanco specifically. He and his brother Matt said they were optimistic about the M’s, even if ownership didn’t invest as much in the roster as they would have liked.
The reasons? Seattle’s top-notch pitching staff and the idea that several players could have “bounce back” seasons after underperforming last year. Consider Thursday an auspicious start for Polanco’s return to productivity.
Not everyone shared the Peatys’ confidence. Longtime fan Reuben Smith said he was just hoping they win more than 80 games this season, feeling they needed to add more offense. But that certainly didn’t detract from his mood before the game started. He and his friends come to T-Mobile Park for the first game every season and don’t need a playoff-caliber team to enjoy their time.
The thing is, though, as incomplete as this Mariners roster might be, they are still more than capable of reaching the postseason and making a run if they get in. They just need more games like Thursday, where the offense simply performs adequately. The M’s led the American League in ERA last year. They have five potential aces between Gilbert, Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo. All they need is a little run support.
Thursday, they provided it in one of the more dramatic ways imaginable. Fans might not have been happy with the Mariners’ offseason, but for one night, they were as delighted as could be.
