Mariners salvage series tie with Athletics thanks to J-Rod and Woo

It was a tougher than expected series for the Seattle Mariners, but Julio Rodriguez and Bryan Woo delivered on Sunday in a 2-1 win.

Things hadn’t gone quite to plan for the Seattle Mariners following an enthralling come-from-behind win on opening day last Thursday. Two consecutive losses and little offense had seen them on the verge of losing their first series of the 2025 season, against the Athletics.

Fortunately for the team and the 27,696 fans who attended Sunday’s game at T-Mobile Park, the Mariners managed to end the series on a positive note and earn a 2-2 split. At 2-1, the series finale win was hard-earned, with Bryan Woo and Julio Rodríguez standing out as the main contributors.

Even though the Athletics have now moved out of California, it’s still always a special occasion for Woo when he faces them, given he is from Oakland. In fact he always seems up for playing his childhood team, as evidenced by a 5-0 record and 0.57 ERA in six Major League starts ahead of Sunday’s contest.

It turned out to be no different on Sunday afternoon, as Woo pitched 6.0 standout innings and allowed just three hits, two walks and one earned run, while also striking out five. And thanks to some magic in the bottom of the sixth, he ultimately also notched the ‘W’.

J-Rod wakes up for the Mariners in booming fashion

The magic came courtesy of Rodriguez and it was desperately needed by the superstar in waiting, after just one hit and six Ks in the first three games of the series. His two-run bomb gave the Mariners a 2-1 lead which would ultimately prove enough, and doubled as the third-hardest-hit homer of his Major League career.

The Mariners struggled offensively throughout the series against the Athletics, including just five hits and no walks in the series finale. However, Rodríguez’s home run stood up just because of how stellar their pitching was, which extended to the bullpen.

Gregory Santos, Trent Thornton and Andrés Muñoz all pitched one inning each, and combined to allow just one hit and a walk of shutout ball, while also striking out three. However, it was Woo who really took the headlines, and let’s not forget he is theoretically fifth in the rotation when everyone is healthy.

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Postgame quotes

Mariners manager Dan Wilson was full of credit for Woo postgame, when speaking to the media. He said:

“They are two really good fastballs and we’ve seen the effectiveness of both. He can overpower people and that’s what he’s been able to do with his time in the big leagues.”

As for Woo himself, he acknowledged that perhaps he does well against the Athletics specifically, but regardless is always looking for ways to improve. He said:

“Maybe when you look back, I have done those things better against the A’s, maybe, than other teams. I’m just trying to do those little things at a high level and continue to do them consistently, and hopefully they breed good results.”

Meanwhile, Rodríguez knows he and the rest of the lineup also need to impove and do more to hold up their end of the bargain. He said:

“It’s important for everybody to do their end. It’s a team. And I feel like the pitching staff does really well. For me to do well, it’s also that we have nine guys in the lineup. It’s not just me.”

As much as the two-time All-Star is correct about it being a team game, he is a crucial element who — when he is on his game — can galvanize the entire roster. The Mariners will now continue their homestand on Monday night, with the first of three games against the Detroit Tigers and Emerson Hancock getting his first start of the season.

What were your main takeaways for the Mariners in their opening series against the Athletics? What has given you most encouragement and where do you want to see the most improvement? Let us know in the comments section below.