Andrés Muñoz’s shaky start to season continues, Mariners lose to Braves

A troubling trend returned for Andrés Muñoz in the ninth inning Tuesday night, and the closer’s struggles could not come at a worse time for the Mariners and their battered bullpen.

Atlanta’s Matt Olson, a longtime Mariners tormentor, crushed a 412-foot home run off Muñoz into the beer garden beyond the center-field fence to give the Braves a 3-2 victory at T-Mobile Park.

It’s the third home run Muñoz has surrendered through 16 appearances to begin his shaky start to the season, already surpassing his total of two homers allowed in all of 2025.

Muñoz had looked much crisper Monday night in closing out the Mariners’ thrilling 5-4 comeback victory over Atlanta in the series opener, a much-needed boost for a Mariners bullpen that has lost two of its best leverage arms – Matt Brash and Gabe Speier – to the injured list in recent days.

But he fell behind Olson 2-0 to open the ninth inning, then threw his first strike with a fastball to get back in the count.

Muñoz’s next pitch was a slider low and on the outer half of the plate and Olson was ready for it, sending it way out with a 110.5 mph exit velocity.

Olson, the Oakland Athletics’ longtime first baseman before being traded to Atlanta in 2022, hit his 20th career home run against the Mariners in 89 games, and 11th at T-Mobile Park in 47 games.

Muñoz has been tagged for three of the Mariners’ 20 losses already this season, and his ERA ballooned to 6.00.

Mariners hitters struck out 16 times Tuesday night, and Atlanta starter Bryce Elder matched his career high with nine strikeouts. Atlanta’s bullpen struck out seven of the 10 batters it faced.

José A. Ferrer, also working for the second night in a row, needed just 10 pitches to work a 1-2-3 eighth inning.

Josh Naylor hit a one-out single to right field off Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias in the ninth and then stole second base four pitches later to get in scoring position.

He wouldn’t get any farther.

Iglesias got Randy Arozarena to chase a slider well off the plate for the second out, and pinch-hitter Dominic Canzone grounded out weakly to second base to end it.

George Kirby pitched another gem, allowing two runs over seven sharp innings.

J.P. Crawford hit a two-run homer off Elder in the third inning to give the Mariners a 2-0 lead.

It was Crawford’s fourth homer of the season, and it came a night after his two-run homer propelled the M’s to an unlikely 5-4 come-from-behind victory in the series opener.

Raleigh returns to lineup

Mariners All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh was back in the starting lineup for Tuesday night’s game vs. the Atlanta Braves after missing the last three games with a sore right oblique.

Raleigh was in his normal No. 2 spot in the batting order, but was at designated hitter and not catcher.

Raleigh finished 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

Wilson said after Monday’s 5-4 victory over Atlanta that the team would make a decision on Raleigh’s situation based on how he felt on Tuesday morning. Raleigh ramped up the intensity in his workouts prior to Monday’s game, wanting to test the oblique to see how felt.

Raleigh first felt discomfort in his right side in Friday’s loss to the Royals. He was a late scratch from Saturday’s game and underwent an MRI on the area to check on any structural damage.

He met with the media on Sunday morning and said he was already feeling better and hoping to avoid going on the injured list, but understood the team’s medical staff was erring on the side of caution.

Donovan doubles in rehab stint

Brendan Donovan (groin strain) began what is expected to be short rehab stint with Double-A Arkansas on Tuesday evening.

He got the start as the designated hitter and was placed in the leadoff spot to maximize his chances to hit.

Donovan made five trips to the plate, going 1 for 3 with a double, two walks and three runs scored.

He is expected to play on Wednesday, likely starting a game at third base. He is expected to meet the Mariners in Chicago on Thursday and be reinstated from the injured list for the weekend series vs. the White Sox.

The Mariners have three other players on rehab assignments:

• INF Patrick Wisdom (left oblique strain) — started at first base, went 0 for 1 with two walks and a run scored

• OF Victor Robles (right pec strain) — he started in right field, going 0 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout.

• RHP Bryce Miller (oblique) will make his fourth rehab start on Wednesday with High-A Everett