The Mariners and Guardians will go for historical past Saturday in simply their third recreation of the season.
The Mariners wouldn’t have a single but. They are the primary workforce ever to not have a single of their first two video games of a season. There have solely been 9 cases in historical past the place a workforce has gone two consecutive video games and not using a single; no workforce has ever gone three.
It’s price protecting this reminder up for the opening sequence. Lookout Landing will characteristic a every day trio(+) of tales about every recreation: (1) a recreation preview with beginning lineups and all the data that you must know pregame, which can even function a remark thread to debate the sport because it unfolds, (2) a chart highlighting the turning factors of the sport revealed instantly postgame, and (3) a recap of how the sport went down. We’ll do that for all 162 video games this season, and we’d like to have you ever alongside for the journey, so for those who haven’t but signed up, please think about doing so! Instructions for doing so are at the underside of the web page.
I’ll additionally repeat the abstract of the work we’ve put up over the previous couple days in preparation for Opening Day:
Going for historical past will likely be a barely totally different group from the primary two nights. We get our first look at the Mariners’ “facing a lefty starter” lineup for 2026. Rob Refsnyder replaces Dom Canzone at designate hitter and hits leadoff. Victor Robles replaces Luke Raley in proper area and hits seventh. Notably nonetheless within the lineup is lefty Cole Young at second base, suggesting he’s not robotically locked right into a platoon with righty infielder Ryan Bliss; Young acquired probably the most reps in opposition to lefties in Spring Training of anybody on the workforce.
On the mound is Bryan Woo, making his first begin of the season. The Seattle Times had an article Saturday morning on the workforce’s plan to maintain Woo wholesome all season — mainly, setting him as much as maximize relaxation between begins.
Attempting to disclaim the Mariners of historical past (or making an attempt to make them it, I’m unsure) will likely be lefty Joey Cantillo. Here’s Jake Mailhot’s description from our Series Preview:
Joey Cantillo spent final yr break up between the bullpen and the rotation. Once he made the transfer to beginning in July, issues actually took off for him; he posted a 2.96 ERA and a 3.21 FIP throughout 13 begins down the stretch. His calling card is an exceptional changeup that produced a 49.4% whiff charge final yr! His two breaking balls are okay too — his curveball is the higher of the 2 however he was testing a brand new grip on his slider this spring to hopefully enhance that pitch’s effectiveness. His command is his weak spot, although his stroll charge improved barely after becoming a member of the rotation final yr. With a task within the rotation secured to begin this season, he’s effectively positioned to take an enormous step ahead if he can get his errant command underneath management.
J.P. Crawford is again in Seattle as he rehabs his shoulder damage.
First pitch: 6:40 PDT
TV: Mariners TV, with Aaron Goldsmith, Ryan Rowland-Smith, and Angie Mentink
Radio: 710 ESPN, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
