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The Show is About to Begin

Rick Rizzs narrates the Mariners 2026 Opening Day hype video

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Mariners Celebration GIF - Mariners Celebration Infield Dance - Discover & Share GIFs

"Ok Friends, Mariner Fans, This your page, 162 Games, know, I will not have everyone one of them they would never fit!, Sound good?"

Mariners, Seattle, Mariners fan, MLB Playoffs, Mariners fan

Mariners News: Happy Randy Johnson Day!

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SEATTLE - (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) Getty Images

All in the Family 5/3/26

A Massive Thank you to Hall of Famer Randy Johnson and his son, Tanner, for throwing out today's first pitch.

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"I will always be thankful for my time playing here with the Mariners and for the fans who supported us."

Randy Johnson mentions the SuperSonics, Mt. Rainier, and Rainier Beer in his number retirement speech.

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THE BIG UNIT IS IMMORTALIZED IN SEATTLE
Randy Johnson becomes the fourth player for the Seattle Mariners to have his number retired

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“One number. Two players. Representing one team.” Randy Johnson Ichiro Suzuki

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The Intimidator Randy Johnson Number Retirement Tribute 51

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Thank you, Randy. Sincerely, Seattle.

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Randy Johnson's Jersey Retirement Ceremony

The Mariners honor Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson by retiring his jersey #51 prior to the game vs. the Royals

Randy Johnson Reacts to Legends Congratulating Him

A broadcast view of Mariners and Seattle rock legends congratulating the Big Unit on his kersey retirement

Randy Johnson Number Retirement Tribute

It begins with stillness. It ends with greatness.

A Well-Deserved Honor for The Big Unit

2026 Seattle Mariners congratulate Randy Johnson on his number retirement

Legends and Rock Icons Congratulate Randy Johnson

Legends of the game and Rock and Roll icons congratulate The Big Unit, Randy Johnson, on having his number retired by the Seattle Mariners

Saturday May 9

FINAL

SEA SEA 1 vs. 6 CWS

Sinkers sink Mariners in 6-1 loss to White Sox

Miller's impending return leaves Mariners with rotation questions

Luis Castillo K's Miguel Vargas

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 09: Luis Castillo #58 (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) MLB Photos via Getty Images

by Jackson Stone

CHICAGO -- One of the biggest questions surrounding the Mariners so far has finally been answered -- for now.

Starting pitcher Bryce Miller will come off the injured list and make his season debut on Wednesday in Houston, manager Dan Wilson announced prior to the Mariners’ 6-1 loss on Saturday at Rate Field.

Cole Young's Diving Play

Cole Young makes a spectacular diving play to nab Edgar Quero of a base hit to end the bottom of the 4th inning

Seattle will deploy a six-man rotation as it grinds through a 13-game stretch without an off-day. Logan Gilbert will start on normal rest Sunday vs. the White Sox. For the four-game series in Houston, George Kirby (Monday) and Bryan Woo (Tuesday) will

pitch on normal rest before Miller slots in on Wednesday and Luis Castillo follows on Thursday. Emerson Hancock, who has pitched his way into the rotation while filling in for Miller, will get the nod Friday night against San Diego.

After that, questions around the rotation will once again arise, as Wilson did not commit to the six-man system for long.

“Yes, everyone gets an extra day … but we will kind of recalibrate once we get back,” Wilson said.

Miller’s return has been a hot topic surrounding the club as Hancock (3.21 ERA in eight starts) pitched his way into a starting role, while Castillo, the highest-paid player on the team and one of the most respected veterans in the clubhouse, has had a

rough start to 2026.

That continued Saturday when the 33-year-old righty allowed four runs in four innings against the White Sox on a pair of two-run homers. Castillo needed 84 pitches to get 12 outs, and has pitched four or fewer innings in three of his eight starts --

something he did just three times in 32 outings last season.

“I thought his last outing [against Kansas City] was vintage Luis,” Wilson said. “I thought there were flashes of it again tonight, but it was just a situation where they were able to get some pitches on him. The velo was there tonight, I thought the breaking

ball was where it had been, they were just able to put some good at-bats on him and get deep.”

Castillo has allowed four or more runs in six of his eight starts to begin the year. Despite the Mariners' starters leading baseball with 229 innings pitched, Castillo has gotten an out in the sixth inning just three times this season.

“I've just got to keep my head up. It’s not how you start, it’s how you end,” Castillo said through interpreter Manny Acta.

Bryce Miller Tosses Five Scoreless in Rehab Outing

Miller said “the slider felt especially sharp, generating strong break and staying controlled throughout the outing.” He also mixed in a curveball, though he admitted there is still progress to be made with the pitch as he continues building back into form.

Bryce Miller signs a card for an AquaSox Fan. Photo Credit: Andrew Houston

But it’s not as simple as moving Castillo to the bullpen. The 10-year veteran has made 251 Major League appearances -- all starts. He’s been one of the club’s most reliable workhorses since 2022.

And it’s not like everything was bad Saturday night. Castillo generated 18 swings and misses, but the White Sox fouled off 22 balls and drove up the righty’s pitch count as he was unable to find his putaway pitch. Castillo reiterated postgame that he feels

fine physically.

It’s a good problem to have, to be sure -- six healthy and capable starters. However, the logjam when Miller, who had an outstanding postseason and pitched to a 2.94 ERA across 31 starts in 2024, returns is hard to ignore.

Outside of the six-man rotation, there are a few other options:

Move Miller to the bullpen as a piggyback option, most likely with Castillo.

Move Castillo to the ‘pen as a piggyback option for Miller.

Don’t move either to the ‘pen, but have Miller or Castillo piggyback off each other.

Move Hancock to the bullpen, given that he transitioned to relief late last year.

The most prevailing thought is that Miller and Castillo will piggyback off each other, but that -- at least for the time being -- both starters will remain stretched out. The club is only one injury away from this entire discussion being moot .

The performance of Miller, Castillo and Hancock across their next few outings could also determine their roles. Don’t expect the six-man rotation to last long -- the Mariners want Woo, Kirby and Gilbert pitching as much as possible.

The temporary plan means Seattle will be a man short in the bullpen, which is already down high-leverage arms Matt Brash (right lat inflammation) and Gabe Speier (left shoulder inflammation). Closer Andrés Muñoz has also been working through

struggles.

That won’t last for long, though. At some point, the Mariners will have to decide the long-term plan for their rotation. But it won’t happen the moment Miller comes back.

Friday May 8

FINAL

SEA SEA 12 vs. 8 CWS

Raley posts MLB's first 7-RBI game of '26 as Mariners roll

Mariners do some new things, score season-high 12 runs in victory over White Sox

CHICAGO -- By the time Luke Raley stepped into the batter’s box in the seventh inning, he had already had the most productive game of his Major League career. But he was nowhere near close to being finished.

🔱 Luke Raley's Grand Slam (7) 🔱

Luke Raley crushes a grand slam to right field, giving the Mariners a 5-1 lead in the 3rd inning

Luke Raley Appreciation Post

After he came around to step on home plate less than a minute later, Raley had a stat line that will be hard for anyone to beat for the rest of the 2026 season.

Raley not only hit a grand slam, but added on with a clutch three-run homer to power the Mariners to a 12-8 win over the White Sox on Friday night at Rate Field. His seven RBIs are the most by any big leaguer this season.

Raley’s career high before Friday? Three. He overtook that with one swing in the third. Raley is the first Mariner since Nelson Cruz in 2016 to hit both a grand slam and three-run homer in the same game.

“Rales is an incredibly hard worker,” manager Dan Wilson said. “You know he’s going to put in a lot of work and a lot of time, and he’s been able to do that. He’s found something that’s really helping him, and that’s huge. That’s what you hope for. … He’s

always going to go the extra mile to try and find it. Really happy to see that that’s paying off for him.”

A few weeks ago, a game like this would be hard to imagine for Raley. After coming out of the gate as hot as any hitter in baseball with three homers in four March games, the 31-year-old outfielder hit just two in April with a .698 OPS.

That led a frustrated Raley to seek out senior director of hitting strategy, and Hall of Famer, Edgar Martínez, for advice. The end result of the conversation was a combination of mechanical and mental changes, and the success Raley has had since has been

nothing but extraordinary.

🔱 Julio Rodríguez's Solo Home Run (6) 🔱

Julio Rodríguez crushes a solo homer to center field, giving the Mariners a 6-5 lead in the 5th inning

In just five May games, Raley has clobbered three homers -- including a big one in Monday’s comeback victory -- while driving in 10 runs with a .364 average and 1.599 OPS.

“That’s why we talk and we make adjustments,” Raley said. “I definitely feel better and more confident at the plate right now, and that’s a good thing.”

Wilson added: “It’s not only the message [Martinez] brings, but it’s the messenger. And I think that’s what Rales is alluding too. He has a way of making it simple. When you can make it simple for guys, it really helps.”

Raley played in just 73 games last season while battling back and oblique injuries, eventually losing his job to Dominic Canzone while away on rehab. But the 2023 version of Raley, which hit a career-high 22 homers, is more like the player the Mariners

are getting right now.

In a lineup full of All-Stars such as Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena, who are all capable of hitting 25 or more homers -- it’s Raley who leads the team with eight long balls nearly 40 games into the season.

🔱 Luke Raley on Two-Homer Night 🔱

Luke Raley discusses his two-homer, seven-RBI night against the White Sox

May 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Luke Raley (20) Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

“It’s the best. Rales, as hard as he plays the game, shows up every single day and does everything possible for our team,” said Emerson Hancock, who recovered from a four-run third to allow only one other run. “A night like tonight, couldn’t be happier

for him. Really good swings on the ball. Plays extremely hard in the outfield. It was huge for our team tonight.”

Both of Raley’s homers came with runners on and two outs, which is something that has been missing from the Mariners’ offense this season. Entering Friday, only Texas (139) and Toronto (147) had scored fewer runs in the AL than Seattle (153).

A 12-run outburst -- which included homers from Naylor and Rodríguez as well -- can start to change that.

🔱 Josh Naylor's Three-Run Home Run (5) 🔱

Josh Naylor hits a three-run homer to add on to the Mariners' 12-5 lead over the White Sox in the 8th

“In the past, getting traffic wasn’t the problem. It was getting the traffic in,” Wilson said. “And tonight we were able to do that in a lot of big ways, and with two outs it certainly stings a little bit more.”

In addition to Raley’s big night, the Mariners (19-20) got Brendan Donovan (1-for-5) back from the injured list and Raleigh (0-for-5) played catcher for the first time since missing three games earlier this week.

Both the team and Raley are hoping to carry consistency throughout May as the club looks toward getting back to the winning ways that brought them a win away from the World Series just a season ago.

That’s what Raley was most focused on postgame -- not the eye-popping stat line.

“We have a really good lineup,” Raley said. “We just got to stay healthy, stay on the field and hopefully we have more games like today.”

Josh Simpson Finishes Win for Mariners

Josh Simpson strikes out Colson Montgomery to secure the Mariners' 12-8 win

Dan Wilson on Mariners' Win

Mariners manager Dan Wilson discusses the team's 12-8 win over the White Sox, Luke Raley's monster game, and more in postgame interview

"Good Game, Good Game."

Mariners 12, White Sox 8

Wednesday May 6

FINAL

ATL ATL 1 vs. 3 SEA SEA

Woo (9 K's), J-Rod (HR) all fired up about pinning 1st series loss on Braves

SEATTLE -- Bryan Woo brought some fiery edge to the mound against the Majors’ hottest team on Wednesday afternoon, and it sure looked like his demeanor rubbed off on Julio Rodríguez during one of the game’s biggest moments.

Because, when Rodríguez pummeled a Statcast-projected 436-foot homer into the T-Mobile Pen during the sixth inning of a 3-1 win over the Braves, the star center fielder quite literally shook upon exiting the batter’s box.

Bryan Woo's Nine Strikeouts

Bryan Woo tallies nine strikeouts across six scoreless innings in a dominant start against the Braves

After connecting with a whopping 110.4 mph exit velocity, Rodríguez clenched his fists, then shouted as his arms trembled, before an emphatic bat flip down the first-base line. Woo, meanwhile, was on the dugout’s top bench immediately after his outing

ended, mouth agape in awe and approval.

Julio Rodríguez's Solo Home Run (5)

Julio Rodríguez crushes a solo home run to left-center field to extend the Mariners' lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the 6th

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 06: Julio Rodríguez #44 (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Getty Images

Amped Cam™ : Julio Rodríguez

Bryan Woo, WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Julio Rodríguez talks his Big Home Run vs. Braves

Julio Rodríguez discusses his home run against the Braves and the importance of winning a series against a good team

A few tense innings later, Seattle held on and became the first team this season to win a series over Atlanta, which is an MLB-best 26-12 overall and 11-1-1 in series this season.

“You definitely want to build on it,” Woo said. “I think that's the only thing really that we're looking for now, is just consistency.”

Woo had surrendered a combined 13 earned runs over his previous two outings, but he rebounded to give up just one hit while striking out nine.

Bryan Woo dots a slider on the lower black for a huge ꓘ to Matt Olson to clear the 6th inning, scoreless. The Braves' big slugger thought about using an ABS challenge but ultimately held off.

But arguably the most consequential play took place in the eighth -- and was in the video room of the home clubhouse.

Having just surrendered a sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game, Eduard Bazardo made a quick pickoff attempt on pinch-runner Jorge Mateo. To the naked eye, he looked safe. But after a brief delay, Mariners video and replay operations coordinator Jake

Kuruc phoned the dugout to challenge.

And sure enough, Josh Naylor’s quick tag and Mateo’s nonchalant return to the bag indeed generated the frame’s second out, helping Bazardo get out of the jam.

“It's a quick process, no question,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “And I thought, you've got to give Nayls some credit. I think the temptation, a lot of times, is to go get that ball and then go back to tag. He let that ball travel really well and got right

to his hip, and that's what made the difference.”

Eduard Bazardo Picks off Jorge Mateo after a Review

Eduard Bazardo picks off Jorge Mateo after the original call was overturned following a review in the top of the 8th

Jhonny Pereda Scores on Double Play

Jhonny Pereda scores on Cal Raleigh's double play to give the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 3rd

That set up Naylor to score a huge insurance run a half-inning later, with a single and a stolen base before scoring on Cole Young’s double to the right-field wall. That also extended Young’s team RBIs lead to 20.

But the day’s unsung MVP was easily Jose A. Ferrer, who locked down his second save -- and became Seattle’s first reliever this season to pitch three days in a row.

With Andrés Muñoz unavailable having pitched on Monday and Tuesday, when he took his third loss in his 16th outing, Ferrer faced the meat of the Braves’ order. And his gritty effort to go 1-2-3 -- led off by Matt Olson and capped with an ABS challenge to

Mauricio Dubón to end it -- was one of the Mariners’ best bullpen efforts of the season.

“I woke up this morning and my arm felt great,” Ferrer said through an interpreter. “So when the opportunity came and they told me, ‘Yeah, you're in,’ I was excited.”

Jose A. Ferrer Secures the Mariners' Win

Jose A. Ferrer strikes out Mauricio Dubón after an ABS challenge to close out the Mariners' 3-1 win over the Braves

There was a lot to unpack from this one, but the raw passion from Woo and Rodríguez stood out. These two play with more emotion than most on the Mariners’ roster, and though this type of flair is more visible in October than May, Wednesday’s game

called for it.

The Mariners (18-20) have been mired in inconsistency for much of the season’s first six weeks, both at the plate and on the mound. On days they pitch well, they struggle to cash in. On days they hit, their starter might have a clunker, or the bullpen

might cough away a late lead.

This isn’t an everyday dynamic, but it’s happened with enough regularity that’s prevented Seattle from climbing back over .500, a mark it hasn’t reached since standing at 3-2 on March 30.

This series underscored it mightily. The Mariners’ bats had to overcome four solo homers given up by Logan Gilbert to win the opener, then that same lineup went quiet on Tuesday, which spoiled George Kirby’s seven strong innings.

“We've seen some really good stretches,” Woo said, “and then the next series, we just kind of lose that momentum a little bit. So yeah, we've got to start piecing some games together, piecing series together. Obviously, we still have a long way to go.”

Finding more of a middle ground would be the first step, and finding a way to win Wednesday -- to take a series from a powerhouse -- was precisely that.

Dan Wilson on Woo's outing, Rodríguez's Homer in Win

Dan Wilson discusses Bryan Woo's scoreless outing, Julio Rodríguez's big home run and the team's successful challenge following the Mariners' 3-1 win

Tuesday May 5

FINAL

ATL ATL 3 vs. 2 SEA SEA

George Kirby grounds Braves, Mariners strikeout 16 times in 3-2 loss

Kirby features sweeper in another strong outing

Muñoz gives up 9th-inning HR as Mariners can't back up Kirby gem

SEATTLE -- George Kirby is in peak workhorse form. Andrés Muñoz, meanwhile, is really reeling.

Kirby cleared seven strong innings against a loaded Braves lineup on Tuesday night, then turned a 2-2 tie over to the bullpen, hoping that the Mariners’ bats could claim a late lead or even walk this one off.

But things fell apart in the ninth, when Muñoz fell into a 2-1 count vs. a red-hot Matt Olson, then gave up a backbreaking go-ahead homer that sunk Seattle to a 3-2 loss.

It didn’t help that the Mariners’ offense mustered just three hits and couldn’t build upon a two-run homer from J.P. Crawford in the third, the shortstop’s second in as many games after Monday’s comeback win.

The lineup’s inconsistency is a topic of discussion that’s been dissected at length through the Mariners’ 17-20 start. And their season-high 16 strikeouts on Tuesday compounded that conversation.

But the bigger concern might center on their two-time All-Star closer, who’s now given up 10 earned runs this season -- including three homers -- which raised his ERA to 6.00 in 16 outings.

This is after he gave up just two homers all of last year, racked up a career-high 38 saves and compiled a career-best 1.73 ERA. Muñoz has now been the pitcher of record for three losses in 2026, which matches his entire ‘25 total.

This wasn’t a save opportunity, but it was close to it, as Muñoz was summoned to preserve a tie into walk-off territory. He took over for lefty Jose A. Ferrer, who went 1-2-3 in the eighth. But in a paradoxically better-case scenario, the Mariners might’ve

preferred one of Ferrer’s baserunners to reach -- because then he would’ve instead faced Olson to finish the eighth.

J.P. Crawford's Sliding Stop

J.P. Crawford makes the nice sliding stop at short to end the 5th inning

Ferrer, who was acquired from the Nationals in the Harry Ford trade, has faced Olson more than all but two hitters over 161 career outings, and has held the elite slugger to 1-for-8 with three strikeouts.

That’s precisely how it came about on Monday, just a tad earlier in the game. Ferrer pitched a scoreless seventh while protecting a 5-4 lead, then came back to face Olson, who led off the eighth and flew out. After that, Dan Wilson turned to Eduard

Bazardo.

But that wasn’t in the cards on Tuesday, both for Ferrer’s workload (going one-plus on back-to-back days is not ideal) and Muñoz’s routine (he’s entered with none on and none out in 69 of 72 outings before extra innings since ‘25).

Dan Wilson on George Kirby's outing despite Loss

Dan Wilson discusses George Kirby's solid outing and more after the Mariners' 3-2 loss against the Braves

“We thought about it,” Wilson said. “But [Muñoz] threw the ball super well last night. And I thought he was the guy. And [Olson] was able to get him tonight.”

The homer came in a 2-1 count, but it began 2-0 -- which might be the most telling factor. Opposing hitters now have an .884 OPS vs. Muñoz when ahead in the count compared to a .381 OPS when behind.

Muñoz, who preferred not to speak postgame, entered play throwing first-pitch strikes 55.7% of the time, lower than both his career clip (61.3%) and the MLB average in 2026 (60.4%). After Olson’s homer, Muñoz threw a ball on the first pitch to his next

two hitters, Michael Harris II and Mauricio Dubón.

“Really, tonight, it was really just one hitter,” Wilson said. “I thought he made some better pitches after Olson and got back to who he was. But yeah, I mean, I think that's what we talk about all the time, is getting ahead and taking advantage of being

ahead in the count. And that's always essential with all our guys.”

The pitch itself -- a slider on the outer half of the plate -- wasn’t great. But it wasn’t terrible, either. And Olson crushed it 110.5 mph and 412 feet to the opposite field, into the T-Mobile Pen -- territory that few left-handed hitters have reached at this

ballpark.

But that’s the power threat that Olson possesses, now with an NL-leading 13 homers while emerging as an extremely early NL MVP candidate.

”I don’t think they made any good swings in that inning,” Kirby said of the fourth. “I thought I executed really well, it just kind of found a hole. So I’m gonna keep doing my thing, keep inducing weak contact, and those will eventually go my way off the

bat.”

George Kirby's Quality Start

George Kirby strikes out five batters and only allows two-runs in seven quality innings against the Braves

The paired pitches tool from FanGraphs illustrates just how tough it is for a batter to offer at that backdoor pitch:

In the latest episode of The Top Step Podcast, Ryan Rowland-Smith sat down with former M’s reliever and current coach Danny Farquhar.

Kirby’s final line was seven innings, six hits, one walk, four strikeouts, and a 65% ground ball rate. It’s sixth time in eight starts Kirby has gone at least six innings, and he’s now two-thirds of an inning short of Max Fried for the most in the majors.

“As a starter, I want to go as deep in the game as possible and give my team the best chance to win. So if it’s ground balls, great, strikeouts, awesome, if it’s a little bit of both, even better,” Kirby said.

Kirby, meanwhile, was spectacular and is ascending into the conversation of the sport’s best workhorses.

He needed just 88 pitches (59 strikes) to clear the seventh, and pulled into a near tie for the MLB lead in workload, now with 52 innings over eight starts that trails only the Yankees’ ax Fried (52 2/3). Kirby has pitched into the sixth inning in each of

those outings, too, and is on pace to eclipse the coveted 200-inning threshold this season, should he make all 32 starts.

Monday May 4

FINAL

ATL ATL 4 vs. 5 SEA SEA

Clutch homers from Raley, Crawford spark dramatic comeback win

Mariners stick to the script, author delightful 5-4 win against Braves

Everyone sticks to the script on Star Wars night

kingkaps7 giphyupload kingkaps7 happy star wars day may the 4th be with you GIF

SEATTLE -- Talk about completely flipping the script, and maybe in the win of the season so far for the Mariners.

Overpowered and overwhelmed for much of Monday night against a Braves team with MLB’s best record, Seattle responded with a seismic sixth inning.

Two massive homers from Luke Raley and J.P. Crawford erased a four-run deficit, reinvigorated the T-Mobile Park crowd and turned into a 5-4 lead that would hold through the finish line.

J.P. Crawford's Two-Run Homer (3) 🔱

J.P. Crawford crushes a two-run homer to give the Mariners' a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 6th

“We push the envelope,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “We get guys on base, and tonight, we were able to convert those into runs and just some really strong team at-bats there.”

The homers were the headlining moments, but just as vital were the walks that preceded them.

When Raley stepped to the plate, he did so after free passes to Randy Arozarena and Dominic Canzone to lead off the frame. Then, later in the inning after Braves starter JR Ritchie -- a native of nearby Bainbridge Island who grew up a Mariners fan -- was

relieved by right-hander Tyler Kinley, Mitch Garver drew ball four with two outs as a layup to Crawford.

This was precisely the type of production that the Mariners have lacked more than they’ve delivered on in 2026. That includes separate sequences on Monday, when they stranded the bases loaded in the fifth and seventh. Seattle’s .672 OPS with runners

in scoring position entering play on Monday was fourth-lowest in MLB.

Logan Gilbert K's Matt Olson

Cashing in on more of these opportunities would go a long way for the club, which is now 17-19, in its fight to climb back over .500 for the first time since it was 3-2 on March 30.

“It takes passing the baton,” Crawford said, “having good at-bats, just getting people on base and then a big hit and we're right back in it.”

Doing so can also overcome pitching hiccups that are becoming more occasional.

Logan Gilbert didn’t necessarily turn in a clunker, but he was hit hard and often on Monday night, ambushed by Atlanta for four homers. And they weren’t cheapies, either, as the Braves’ big boppers Drake Baldwin (426 feet), Ozzie Albies (414 feet), Matt

Olson (428 feet) and Austin Riley (427 feet) each went deep to create what looked like would be a comfortable lead.

Then, the script was flipped.

Raley had been in a 1-for-24 skid over his past 12 games, after emerging as the team’s home run leader through the season’s first three weeks. He worked into a 1-1 count vs. Ritchie then did not miss on a hanging curveball.

Luke Raley's Three Run Homer (6) 🔱

Luke Raley slugs a three-run homer to trim the Mariners' deficit 4-3 in the bottom of the 6th

May 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Luke Raley (20) Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

“I was kind of 50/50 getting in the box if I wanted to see a strike or how I wanted to go about it,” Raley said. “ But when you’ve got guys in scoring position, it's hard to just tell yourself to just see a strike. You've got to kind of be more aggressive in those

kinds of situations. So yeah, I just picked my spot.”

As his skid reached more than two weeks, Raley sought out Mariners director of hitting strategy Edgar Martinez for guidance on getting through it. Martinez had encouraged Raley to add the toe tap to his setup over the offseason to great success, which

led to their most recent discussion.

“Essentially, I just flattened my bat out a little bit in my stance,” Raley said, “which we're hoping it's going to help me get to the high fastball.”

After Raley made it a one-run game, Crawford then grinded into a full count vs. Kinley and yanked a low-and-in slider for a sky-high shot that hung for 6.0 seconds.

There was some catharsis to it, too, given that Crawford entered play with a .233 batting average on balls in play that had correlated to a .203 overall clip. Meanwhile, he’s been worth 103 wRC+ (league average is 100) -- suggesting that he’s been

productive but the victim of some bad luck.

Randy Arozarena's Jumping Catch

Randy Arozarena makes a lumping catch at the warning track for the second out to rob Ozzie Albies of a base hit in the top of the third

“There's definitely a lot of times where I'm pissed off,” Crawford said. “But, I mean, after it happened so many times, all I could do is laugh about it, at least for me. And just keep telling yourself they're going to fall, just stay right where you are, and I'm

in a good spot mentally.”

Seattle’s bullpen -- sans Matt Brash and Gabe Speier, who are each on the injured list -- locked things down with three scoreless innings the rest of the way, including a bounceback from Andrés Muñoz, who blew his second save of the year his last time

out.

Dan Wilson on Gilbert's Start, Crawford's Homer

Dan Wilson discusses Logan Gilbert's start, Crawford's homer, Leo Rivas defensively, and more following the Mariners' 5-4 win

Sunday May 3

FINAL

KC 4 vs. 1 SEA SEA

Mariners show Randy Johnson what he missed in 28 years away, get swept in snoozer

Short-side bats lifeless again, Castillo’s struggles on second pass continue

Castillo trends in right direction as rotation decisions loom

by Daniel Kramer

SEATTLE -- Cal Raleigh seemed more antsy than frustrated about the right side discomfort that sidelined him for the second straight game on Sunday.

And as the Mariners’ all-world catcher preached a “play it safe” approach, he also put faith in his teammates to hold things down amid his day-to-day status.

Chief among them, Luis Castillo.

“Louie going out and executing today would make things a lot easier,” Raleigh said. “But we have faith in that. Louie is due for a good game.”

That last part mostly came to fruition, as Castillo looked far more capable in Seattle’s series finale vs. Kansas City than at any point in April. The Mariners’ offense, however, clearly missed its best power hitter in a 4-1 loss that capped a three-game sweep.

It might be too bold to say that Sunday represented an audition for Castillo, the Mariners’ most expensive player and their rotation’s most seasoned arm. But with a rotation logjam looming in the wake of Bryce Miller’s return from the injured list, the club

needed to see Castillo trend in the opposite direction of the 8.06 ERA he posted in five April starts.

Nick Davila's First Career Strikeout

Nick Davila strikes out Bobby Witt Jr. in the top of the 9th inning, tallying the first strikeout of his career

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 03: Julio Rodríguez #44 (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) Getty Images

Mariners Throw out Kyle Isbel in the 9th

Mariners throw out Kyle Isbel trying to score from first on a single in the 9th inning

Because it’s clear that Emerson Hancock is going nowhere.

He generated a career-high 14 strikeouts on Saturday, but that effort was squandered in a 10th-inning defeat. And because of Hancock’s heroics, if it wasn’t their worst loss of the season, it was a close second.

So, for Castillo, this was a step forward, even if only a marginal one.

“I'm about nine years in the league, and since I've entered the league, same routine, same preparation from one start to another,” Castillo said through an interpreter. “Like I've said, sometimes there are obstacles that happen throughout the season. And

sometimes, there's bad luck. But it's not going to last the entire season.”

That said, the three-spot that Castillo surrendered in the third and the two-out walk that was followed by an RBI double in the sixth weren’t ideal.

In the fourth, he fell into a bases-loaded jam with no outs, via singles to Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino and a hit-by-pitch to Salvador Perez, each of whom came around to score. He nearly got out of it via a would-be 93.6 mph assist and double

play on Perez at the plate from Julio Rodríguez. But a Royals challenge overturned the call and kept their rally going with a sac fly.

Connor Joe's Sliding Catch

Connor Joe ranges to his left and makes the impressive sliding catch in right field in the top of the 6th inning

Castillo also nearly escaped the sixth, generating two quick outs before a seven-pitch walk to Jac Caglianone that prompted a mound visit. But from pitching coach Pete Woodworth instead of Dan Wilson, who’s regularly entrusted starters to work out of

those jams at the end of their outings. Castillo then gave up a double off the center-field wall to Isaac Collins that allowed Caglianone to go first-to-home and make it a 4-1 game.

However, this loss -- which capped Seattle’s third sweep this season and first at home -- wasn’t necessarily all on Castillo.

The Mariners’ bats had just two at-bats with runners in scoring position, both hitless, and virtually nothing going against Royals lefty Kris Bubic, who cleared seven innings.

Raleigh might’ve helped those efforts, but he too has had his struggles, with a .501 OPS against southpaws compared to a .709 OPS against righties. Beyond him, the Mariners’ team-wide .621 OPS vs. lefties ranks 27th.

“For whatever reason, we haven't seen the ball super well against lefties,” Wilson said. “But again, we've got to make some adjustments offensively and get back to doing what we do in terms of getting guys on base and pushing the envelope that way.”

Leo Rivas Scores on a Forceout

Castillo on Sunday had more life on his fastball, which he turned to 65% of the time and flashed for four of his five strikeouts. That included maybe the best pitch he’s thrown all year, a 97.6 mph heater up-and-in to Pasquantino for a strikeout to end the

top of the first.

The slider, too, had more bite and held the Royals to a 1-for-5 clip. The telling context being that, entering play, opponents were hitting .310 with a .517 slugging percentage against it.

The clearest factor in his turnaround -- again, of the baby-steps variety -- was pitching on a borderline summer Seattle afternoon compared to the Mariners’ soggiest game of recent memory on Monday in Minnesota.

“Based on this weather, I was able to get that velocity and was definitely happy that I saw that velocity tick up,” Castillo said. “But at the same time, a little sad that we weren't able to get the results that we wanted today.”

J.P. Crawford's Nifty Double play Ends the Frame

J.P. Crawford makes the nice and catch and tosses the ball to second base to end the inning on a nifty double play

The Mariners are now 16-19. They are still the favorites in the AL West, given nobody else wants to win the division, either. But we’ve seen the flaws of this roster create inconsistency, at the very least. The loss to the Royals is the third time the Mariners

have been swept this year, and it’s come after they clawed their way back to .500 at the end of April with back-to-back series wins. It doesn’t get any easier with the 25-10 Braves in town next.

Saturday May 2

FINAL/10

KC 3 vs. 2 SEA

Emerson Hancock brilliant, but mistakes undo Mariners in extra-innings loss

Emerson Hancock honors Randy Johnson with great pitching performance; offense honors 90s Mariners teams with lousy performance

Hancock (career-high 14 K's) does best Big Unit impression in Mariners defeat

SEATTLE -- On the day that the Mariners retired Randy Johnson’s No. 51, Emerson Hancock channeled his inner Big Unit in the biggest way possible.

But a career-high 14 strikeouts was brutally blundered by one gaffe after another -- on the basepaths and in the field -- in a 3-2 loss to the Royals in 10 innings on Saturday night.

And it left Hancock in a perplexing state of both self accomplishment and disappointment on behalf of the team.

“Things happen,” Hancock said. “It's just the game. The good thing is, we've got another day tomorrow.”

In front of a frenzied T-Mobile Park eager to turn the clock back to Johnson’s heyday, Hancock gave the crowd precisely what they sought over seven dominant innings -- including The Big Unit, who was seen in a suite cheering him on.

The 14-K benchmark had been reached only 33 times in franchise history before Saturday, but by only six pitchers -- Félix Hernández, Mark Langston, Mike Moore, James Paxton, George Kirby, and of course, Johnson himself, who did so a whopping 22

times.

A big statue for the Big Unit! Johnson honored by Mariners in star-studded ceremony

Hancock now leads the 2026 club with 46 K's, and he lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.59. With Bryce Miller’s return from the injured list looming, Hancock’s status in the Mariners’ rotation already seemed locked up. But after Saturday, it’s a certainty.

However, it was after he departed where calamity ensued.

Staked to a 2-1 lead in the ninth, Andrés Muñoz blew his third save, issuing a balk after a leadoff single that put the eventual tying run in scoring position.

Then came the wildly uncharacteristic error from Julio Rodríguez, who had a scorching-but-playable liner from Jac Caglianone go through his legs and all the way to the wall, scoring that run and eliminating the chance at Hancock earning a win as the

pitcher of record.

Leo Rivas Scores on Wild Pitch

Leo Rivas scores on wild pitch, giving the Mariners a 2-1 lead in the 5th inning

Seattle’s bats then went 1-2-3 in their first walk-off attempt to send the game to extras, where Mitch Garver was goaded into a costly pickoff attempt. Garver was a last-minute fill-in for Cal Raleigh, who was scratched with what Mariners manager Dan

Wilson described as “general soreness” -- but enough to undergo imaging.

Because Garver’s pickoff was to second base attempting to get him going back, Royals second baseman Michael Massey instead took off for third and reached with no ensuing throw from J.P. Crawford. Massey then scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly

from Maikel Garcia -- an opportunity that never would’ve been there had he remained on second.

“Any time in a close ballgame like it was tonight it can be a little thing that can go one way or the other and send the game in a different direction,” Wilson said. “And it happened to us tonight.”

Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez (44) Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Josh Naylor's RBI Single

Josh Naylor drives in Julio Rodriguez with an RBI single giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead in the first inning

But the most glaring blunder took place before Hancock departed, in the fifth, when Randy Arozarena lost track of the count, took off for second base on a presumed walk but then had nowhere to go because the sacks were packed.

The count was actually 2-2 and not 3-2. And although Arozarena bumped into Massey in a pickle then attempted to argue obstruction -- as did Wilson -- it was to no avail.

Who knows what would’ve actually happened. After all, there were two outs and Royals starter Seth Lugo would’ve still been just one strike away from escaping. But the batter in the box was team RBI leader Cole Young, who’s delivered in multiple high-

stakes at-bats over the past week alone.

“That helped me out pretty good,” Lugo said. “Young was battling me all day. I think he’d seen every pitch I throw. He probably saw the most pitches of anyone in the lineup.”

Johnson wasn’t the only icon in the house whose history was eerily channeled. So, too, was Hernández, who attended the ceremony and whose career was defined by a lack of run support.

Randy Arozarena's AMAZING Diving Catch

Randy Arozarena goes full extension to make an amazing diving catch in the 8th inning

On the night The King was inducted into the Mariners’ Hall of Fame, in 2023, Kirby suffered a similar fate to Hancock -- twirling nine shutout innings in a 1-0 loss to the Orioles, also in the 10th inning.

As for Hancock, the Mariners have now lost three of his five quality starts this season.

“It was an honor to pitch on a night like this,” Hancock said, “because the experience of it is, you're trying to get ready for a game. But I also kind of caught myself looking at the [scoreboard] and seeing the messages that people were sending in.”

Manager Dan Wilson #6 (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Getty Images

The defense

All that hard contact allowed is not ideal for the defense behind them. It’s been dreadful, again. At the moment they’re tied for last in the majors by OAA.

Friday May 1

FINAL

KC 7 vs. 6 SEA SEA

Woo gets roughed up again, M’s lose to Royals 7-6

Woo seeks adjustments after uncharacteristic struggles in back-to-back starts

Bryan Woo's First K of the Game

Bryan Woo's first K of the game catches Kyle Isbel looking in the top of the 5th inning

Condensed Game: KC@SEA - 5/1/26

Condensed Game: Vinnie Pasquantino and the Royals take on Julio Rodríguez and the Mariners on May 1, 2026

by Daniel Kramer

SEATTLE -- One clunker for Bryan Woo could be easily washed away.

But two -- especially in a row, and especially for one of the American League’s emerging aces -- will raise eyebrows, as they did in the Mariners’ 7-6 loss to the Royals on Friday night at T-Mobile Park.

Two culprits jump out tonight. First, he had the same problem that got him into trouble on Saturday: leaking over the plate. I’m going to let a picture tell a thousand words here. That big empty circle in the strike-side of the shadow zone? That’s generally

where one wants to throw the ball.

Seattle’s electric right-hander was tagged for four earned runs on five hits in the first inning, then two solo homers in the sixth. That put Seattle’s offense in too big a hole to climb out of, though it made things interesting, thanks to the two most majestic

homers so far this season from Julio Rodríguez and four homers total.

Julio Rodríguez's four-RBI, two-homer game

Julio Rodríguez's Game-Tying, Two Run Homer (4)

Julio Rodríguez ties the game with a two-run homer to straight away center field in the bottom of the 7th inning

Julio Rodríguez's Monster Two-Run Homer (3)

Julio Rodríguez sends a long, two-run homer over the left field fence (3) in the bottom of the 1st inning

For a pitcher who’s spoken stern self-criticism all season, even in wins, how will Woo flush these and move on?

“It's a good question,” Woo said. “I don't know. You try not to search too much in situations like this, where you're not just bad, but you really get your [butt] kicked. So, yeah, I don't know. We'll dive into it a little bit and try to make some adjustments.

“I don't want to change the core of who I am and what I do. There's a lot of baseball left. You've got to pick yourself up off the mat and keep fighting.”

Woo surrendered three straight singles to begin the outing that led to the game’s first run, then a pair of RBI doubles before getting out of it. The four-spot marked the most earned runs he’d surrendered in the first inning over any of his 77 career starts.

Then, after Seattle’s bats clawed back to make it a one-run game, Woo got bit by the long ball in the sixth, via pull-side blasts from big lefties Vinnie Pasquantino (2-0 fastball) and Jac Caglianone (first-pitch sweeper).

He’s now surrendered six homers over his past two starts, including the four on Saturday in St. Louis. But he was one of just four starters who didn’t give up a homer over his first five starts.

That said, in between the first and the sixth innings on Friday, Woo retired 13 in a row -- looking much more like his trademark self.

"My process might have been all right, but I still got my [butt] kicked,” Woo said. “There's a balance to it. So you try to take the good and learn from bad. It sucks. It's never a good feeling, just putting your team in a hole like that, and especially back-to-

back starts."

The Cardinals were in swing mode from the get-go last Saturday, diligently trying to ambush Woo for his reputation of being in the zone. The Royals played more count leverage, but also benefited from connecting on quite a few pitches that leaked over

the plate.

“I just didn't execute well with two strikes, fell behind a few guys that got into some predictable count,” Woo said. “But it's baseball.”

The glimpses of good shouldn’t be ignored. But it becomes more difficult to recognize them -- for Woo more than anyone -- when the not-so-good snowballs like it did in the first and then sixth innings.

Between these two outings, Woo has given up 13 earned runs -- his most ever in consecutive starts. His previous high in back-to-back starts was 11, on Sept. 17 (vs. Yankees) and Sept. 22 (at Rangers) in 2024.

“It's a tough hill to climb after giving up the four,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “But I thought he came back and really found his stuff.”

The Mariners were looking to move above .500 for the first time since March 30, when they were 3-2. But they now won’t get that chance again until Sunday at the earliest.

“One thing I do know is Bryan holds himself to a high standard,” said Cal Raleigh, Woo’s batterymate on Friday, “and he's done a great job of getting to the point where he's at. He wants to help the team as much as he can. He's a good teammate, so he

takes things hard sometimes. Sometimes things are within his control, and sometimes it's not. So, regardless of it, he usually bounces back pretty well.”

Tune in early tomorrow for Randy Johnson’s number retirement ceremony, which Mariners TV will air starting at 6:00.

Wenesday April 29

FINAL

SEA SEA 5 vs. 3 MIN

Young's clutch hits propel Mariners to series win over Twins

MINNEAPOLIS -- It’s still way too early to talk about All-Star bids, but if Cole Young keeps this pace, there’s a chance he’ll be one of the American League’s most surprising selections.

The Mariners’ 22-year-old second baseman delivered again on Wednesday afternoon -- and twice in clutch moments.

Randy Johnson '80s Jersey Night Giveaway is Friday! (First 20K fans)

Young punched a game-tying RBI double over Byron Buxton’s head in the seventh inning. Then, he went for a curtain call in the ninth, punching a dribbling single off the pitcher’s mound, between both middle infielders and into No Man’s Land in shallow

center, to plate the tying and go-ahead runs.

Dan Wilson on Kirby's Solid outing, Young's Late Hit

Dan Wilson discusses George Kirby having a solid outing on the mound, Cole Young's 9th inning go-ahead two-run single and more in their win

Cole Young's Game-Tying RBI Double

When the dust settled, Seattle eked out a 5-3 victory over Minnesota at Target Field -- to win the series, cap a 5-1 road trip and get back to .500 (16-16) for the first time since April 3.

After Young’s go-ahead knock, Cal Raleigh ripped a 398-foot sacrifice fly that Buxton made a remarkable catch on. That gave Andrés Muñoz more breathing room to lock down his sixth save. And in between Young’s big moments, leverage reliever Matt

Brash exited with an apparent injury. see below

Young now has an RBI in six straight games, which brought him to 19 for the season and moved him ahead of Raleigh (18) for the team lead.

Your .500 Seattle Mariners!

Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Minnesota Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

🔱 J.P. Crawford's Solo Home Run (2) 🔱

J.P. Crawford puts the Mariners on the board with a 1-0 lead on a solo home run to right field in the top of the 3rd inning

Andrés Muñoz Seals Mariners' 5-3 Win over Twins

Andrés Muñoz pitches in the 9th inning and strikes out James Outman to seal the Mariners' 5-3 win over the Twins

Brash exits with Apparent Injury after Two Pitches

Matt Brash Leaves Game after Two Pitches with Injury

Matt Brash is seen leaving the game after throwing two pitches with an unknown injury or discomfort

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Mariners have been incredibly delicate with leverage reliever Matt Brash since the outset of Spring Training, which made his abrupt departure from Wednesday afternoon’s 5-3 win over the Twins that much more alarming.

Brash delivered just two pitches upon entering in the bottom of the eighth inning, after which Cal Raleigh immediately signaled to the visiting dugout at Target Field. From there, assistant athletic trainer Kevin Orloski and manager Dan Wilson conferred

with Brash on the mound before the right-hander exited.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the issue was, but Brash showed noticeable discomfort after each of the pitches he unleashed. The first was a 96.3 mph four-seam fastball that got Raleigh’s attention, and the second was registered as a 88.9 mph

changeup that spiked in the dirt, way off the plate and to the backstop.

Brash rarely, if ever, throws a changeup to right-handed hitters -- such as Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers, who he was summoned to face -- meaning that it’s possible it was misclassified based on whatever issue Brash was dealing with.

Brash, who returned from Tommy John surgery last May 3, experienced inflammation in his pitching arm over the offseason that prompted him to dial things back -- and turn down an invitation to pitch for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

Brash said throughout camp that he’d recovered fine, but nonetheless, the Mariners were extremely deliberate about his usage, as he made just four Cactus League appearances.

In the regular season, the Mariners avoided using Brash on back-to-back days through their first 14 games. Yet Wednesday was third time he had been used on back-to-back days since then, as he also pitched in Tuesday’s 7-1 win.

Brash is one of the sport’s best setup men, entering the day with a 0.00 ERA in 13 outings.

Tuesday April 28

FINAL

SEA SEA 7 vs. 1 MIN

Young, Naylor provide key hits at ballpark where their journey began

Cole Young's RBI Base Hit

Cole Young drives in one run on a base hit to left field to give the Mariners' their first lead of the game in the top of the 7th

Mariners second baseman Cole Young (2) Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Condensed Game: SEA@MIN - 4/28/26

Condensed Game: Josh Naylor and the Mariners take on Byron Buxton and the Twins on April 28, 2026

by Daniel Kramer

MINNEAPOLIS -- Cole Young and Josh Naylor were eons away from the Majors when they got their first taste of Target Field during All-Star Week back in 2014.

And that made their game-sealing hits in the Mariners’ 7-1 win on Tuesday night feel nostalgically full circle.

Young punched an opposite-field RBI single during the seventh inning that pushed Seattle ahead for the first time in this series. Then Naylor delivered the dagger with a massive three-run homer that featured a bat flip appropriate for the moment in the eighth.

Josh Naylor's Three-Run Homer (4)

Josh Naylor clobbers a three-run home run to deep right field to give the Mariners a 5-1 lead in the top of the 8th inning

Josh Naylor on Hitting home run in Mariners' Win

Josh Naylor talks about hitting a home run and helping lead the Mariners to a 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins

And they each did so from the left side of a batter’s box that is more familiar to each than you’d think.

Young took part in the Pitch, Hit & Run Competition at this venue just weeks before his 11th birthday, and Naylor was here taking part in the MLB Junior Home Run Derby at the ripe age of 17.

Cole Young at the 2014 Pitch, Hit & Run Program

Here's a look back at Cole Young competing in the 2014 Pitch, Hit & Run competition

These showcase events were early forecasts of the types of hitters that each would blossom into, as both became first-round selections in the MLB Draft -- and are now key cogs in the Mariners’ lineup.

Naylor, obviously older, was closer to professional ball and as such more projectable. He wound up being selected No. 12 overall by the Marlins in the 2015 Draft, then was traded to the Padres, Guardians and Mariners. Young would earn prospect pedigree,

too, but later. He was taken by the Mariners with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 Draft and reached The Show last May 31.

In many ways, much of their national exposure started right here in Minnesota -- and way back when.

Cooper Criswell Secures Win for Mariners

Cooper Criswell strikes out Byron Buxton to secure the 7-1 victory for the Mariners

Dan Wilson on Mariners' 7-1 Defeat

Dan Wilson discusses the team's struggles at the plate, Logan Gilbert's start, and more in postgame interview

Meanwhile, Jeff Passan had Cal Raliegh on his podcast to discuss the origin of the Big Dumper nickname, coaches calling pitches from the dugout, and more.

kingkaps7 giphyupload kingkaps7 george kirby signing autographs on the arm of a fan at min GIF

kingkaps7 giphyupload kingkaps7 good night from minneapolis after 7-1 win GIF

Monday April 27

FINAL

SEA SEA 4 vs. 11 MIN

Castillo's tough rain-soaked outing latest example of early struggles

Cal Raleigh’s seventh home run not enough to help Mariners dig out of hole as Luis Castillo struggles

Mariners starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Condensed Game: SEA@MIN - 4/27/26

Condensed Game: Cal Raleigh and the Mariners take on Byron Buxton and the Twins on April 27, 2026

Luis Castillo's First Strikeout

by Daniel Kramer

MINNEAPOLIS -- It was the soggiest day of recent memory for the Mariners.

For the rain that soaked Target Field throughout Monday afternoon, and the performance that followed it in an 11-4 loss to the Twins.

And the downpour started and mostly ended with Luis Castillo, whose status within Seattle’s rotation is slowly but surely forecasting towards predicament.

Alex Hoppe Fans Three in MLB Debut

Alex Hoppe strikes out three batters in his MLB debut against the Twins

Castillo’s day was drenched by a pair of homers and seven earned runs by the third inning, which put this one out of reach before it got going -- against a team that had lost nine of its past 10.

Maybe the skies will clear for the Mariners’ most expensive player his next turn through the rotation, but his troubling trends have eclipsed nearly a full month.

“Not frustrating at all,” Castillo said through an interpreter. “I've been in this game a long time that some things like this happen. You go through some bad stretches. All I’ve got to do is continue to throw the ball the way I've been throwing it, attacking

the zone, and I know that results are going to come.”

With Bryce Miller’s return from the injured list looming, how the Mariners handle a logjam to their rotation is going to rapidly become their leading storyline.

Miller made his second rehab start on Friday night and looked great, twirling three scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He’ll climb from the 47 pitches he threw to the range of 60-65 his next time out, likely on Thursday, then roughly 75-80 after, slated

for May 6, if he remains on a six-day routine.

Would that one instead come in the big leagues? It’s not a question the Mariners are ready to answer. But the even more pressing inquiry that they’re not going to broach is who would be the odd man out?

Because with a six-man rotation unlikely, this could get complicated.

“He's a veteran,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “He knows adjustments that are going to be made, and understands that. And I know he continues to work.”

Castillo’s starts in 2026 have often put Seattle’s offense in a hole too big to dig out of or necessitated an improbable comeback. Outside his regular-season debut on March 30, when he threw six shutout innings vs. the Yankees, the Mariners are 1-4 behind

him -- their lone victory being their largest comeback of the season, on April 11 vs. Houston.

He’s carried an 8.06 ERA in that span, second-worst among 73 pitchers who’ve made at least five starts in April, while hitters have tagged him for a 1.97 WHIP and .965 OPS, each the highest among that same group.

Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (18) Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Cole Young's Sacrifice Fly

Cole Young's sac fly cuts the Mariners' deficit to 7-2 in the 5th inning

Monday’s conditions did him no favors, as rain sopped the mound enough that Minnesota’s grounds crew had to add Diamond Dry midgame. Precipitation also persisted all the way through the 27th out.

Those factors were likely a correlation to Castillo experiencing diminished velocity, as he was down 1.5 mph on his four-seam fastball and 2.0 mph on his sinker, both sitting in the 93-94 mph range.

Opposing hitters entered play slugging 1.000 against any heater 94 mph or lower compared to .435 against anything 95 mph or higher. Adding velocity was a pointed emphasis for him this offseason, which showed in Spring Training.

The first homer, a three-run shot from Kody Clemens, was on a 93.7 mph four-seamer. And the next, a two-run blast to Byron Buxton, was on a middle-middle slider, another pitch that’s eluded him mightily at times.

“The mound was a little wet, a little slippery,” Castillo said. “You kind of fear of sliding and maybe hitting yourself. I think it was a little combination of the weather, but I felt like when I wanted to, or felt like I needed to put a little more velocity, I felt like I

could.”

Cal Raleigh's Two-Run Home Run (7) 🔱

Cal Raleigh drives a two-run home run to right field, cutting the deficit for the Mariners in the 8th inning

Castillo is owed $24.15 million this year and next, and it’d be unprecedented for the club to just move on from him, especially this early into a season that they intend to play another six months. The Mariners know too well how quickly rotation depth can

get tested, having had four arms -- including Miller -- miss significant time last year.

Castillo was their lone outlier who made each scheduled start. He’s also rebounded from an extended rough stretch like this before, just last September, and has been their most durable arm since joining the organization in 2022.

But starts like Monday’s are becoming problematic beyond the moment they happen, and tie into bigger-picture questions on Seattle’s overall rotation outlook.

Dan Wilson on Mariners' Loss

Mariners manager Dan Wilson discusses the team's offensive performance, Luis Castillo's outing, and more in postgame interview