White Sox 18, Mariners 9 at the Peoria Sports Complex

Mariners 2, Padres 1 at the Peoria Sports Complex

SEATTLE – Let’s begin with two conflicting ideas about the state of the Seattle Mariners.

With a big swing, a big stature and a big smile, Lazaro Montes is winning over new fans every day during his first major-league camp with the Mariners. Earlier this winter, though, Seattle’s 20-year-old outfield prospect had already won over perhaps his biggest new fan yet.

With the 2025 season approaching, there has been a growing debate as to whether Logan Gilbert or Luis Castillo will be named the opening day starter and lead the team onto the field in that last Thursday in March.

PEORIA, Ariz. – Everything about the swing seemed warm and familiar, a reminder of better days that didn’t feel that long ago, including the result.

Mariners 11, Dodgers 5
at Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz.

When Donovan Solano finally arrived to the Mariners spring training complex, approximately a week later than he had planned due to visa issues, he went searching for familiar faces of seasons past in Miami. But neither would be found in the clubhouse since they weren’t players.

Mariners 12, Brewers 8 at the American Family Fields of Phoenix

PEORIA, Ariz. – Virtually every Mariners executive, every pitching coach, every analyst and every fan at the facility gathered around the backstop at Field 2 to watch the premier batter vs. pitcher matchup of camp Monday morning.

All winter, Ryan Bliss waited on the news he was sure was coming. Bliss has social-media alerts set up on his phone to notify him of breaking news from prominent national baseball writers, and he had been bracing himself for the possibility of an alert such as: "Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent second baseman (insert name) ... " It never came.