Mariners opening day roster set as they take aim at the playoffs

We break down the opening day roster, as the Seattle Mariners prepare for one of the most important seasons in franchise history.

Baseball is finally back, with the Seattle Mariners and their fans getting the added boost of beginning the season at T-Mobile Park versus the Athletics. Opening Day is always special, but this year will only be enhanced by Ichiro Suzuki throwing out the ceremonial first pitch just two months after being voted into the Hall of Fame.

This is one of the most important seasons in franchise history, with the Mariners needing to take advantage of their elite pitching staff and make a serious run at a first ever World Series appearance. Interestingly, despite what was perceived as an underwhelming offseason, the team is actually being viewed favorably by the national media.

MLB.com’s Will Leitch has the Mariners making the playoffs as a wild card team, while FanGraphs go a step further, by projecting them to win the AL West. In fact FanGraphs are extremely high on Dan Wilson’s team in general, giving them the second-best odds to represent the American League in the Fall Classic, behind just the New York Yankees.

Mariners roster set for opening day

The Mariners released their 26 man opening day roster on Thursday morning, and it made for interesting reading. The breakdown was as follows:

Pitchers (13) – Eduard Bazado (RHP), Luis Castillo (RHP), Logan Gilbert (RHP), Emerson Hancock (RHP), Bryce Miller (RHP), Andrés Muñoz (RHP), Gregory Santos (RHP), Tayler Saucedo (LHP), Collin Snider (RHP), Gabe Speier (LHP), Trent Thornton (RHP), Carlos Vargas (RHP), Bryan Woo (RHP)

Injured List (4) – George Kirby, Matt Brash, Troy Taylor (all 15-day IL), Jackson Kowar (60-day IL)

The first thing to note is that Logan Gilbert has deservedly been named the opening day starter, something which he explained is a special moment for him in his Major League career. Luis Casillo graciously accepted the decision after two years of having the role, and it is up to him to return to his previous form following a subpar 2024, at least by his standards.

Of equal note is the absence of George Kirby and Matt Brash, who are both extremely important to the rotation and bullpen respectively. Kirby is projected to be back late April from his shoulder inflammation, while Brash is hoping to be back by early May at the latest after missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery.

Big money extension in Seattle

Catchers (2) – Mitch Garver, Cal Raleigh

Infielders (5) –  Ryan Bliss, J.P. Crawford, Jorge Polanco, Donovan Solano, Rowdy Tellez

Outfielders (3) – Randy Arozarena, Victor Robles, Julio Rodríguez

Infielders/Outfielders (3) – Miles Mastrobuoni, Dylan Moore, Luke Raley

The big news is of course Cal Raleigh’s contract extension of six-years and $105 million, which caught plenty of people by surprise earlier this week. The hope among fans is that getting the team’s club house leader tied down for the long-term will encourage other key players to follow suit, including his close friend Gilbert.

Rowdy Tellez is one of the feel-good stories of spring training, as he produced a .894 OPS in 16 Cactus League games to secure a Major League roster spot and guarantee a $1.5 million salary. On the flip side, there was some sadness as the Mariners decided to eat the final year of Mitch Haniger’s current deal and release him, after injury issues in Peoria.

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What about that infield?

An infield which is considered the weak link of the team certainly has plenty to consider, including how well the combination of Ryan Bliss, Donovan Solano and Luke Raley will perform at first base. (Although they will also all likely see playing time at different positions as well.) However, the biggest question surrounds Jorge Polanco, who was let go by the Mariners and then surprisingly re-signed and moved to third base.

Polanco was a significant disappointment last season and had the worst offensive year of his career. However, he has since had surgery for his ongoing knee issues and for what it’s worth he looked good during spring training, highlighted by a .940 OPS in 13 games and 39 at-bats.

Overall, this really is a roster to feel good about, with just the infield needing to prove itself as a collective. They have an outfield with the potential to be one of the best in the Majors, including Julio Rodríguez, who is seemingly set to finally live up to his superstar status thanks to the coaching of Wilson and Hall of Famer Edgar Martínez.

You won’t find us making any predictions here, but the vibe is a positive one when it comes to this team. About the only thing we will ask (plead?), is if the Mariners are in serious contention as the July 31 trade deadline approaches, that ownership provides the front office with the necessary funds to bring in one or two quality bats.

In your heart of hearts, how confident are you about the Seattle Mariners ahead of this season? Do you believe they will be back in the playoffs, or miss out and see their drought extend to three years? Let us know in the comments section below.