Mariners avoid series sweep, win final game against the Detroit Tigers: Seattle series recap
By Jeffrey Nooney, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - After a series split against the division rival Athletics in the opening series of the 2025 MLB season, our Seattle Mariners hosted the Detroit Tigers for a three-game series to finish out the first homestand of the year. Unfortunately for the Mariners, they lost the series two games to one. The Tigers came into Seattle after being swept by the still undefeated Los Angeles Dodgers, which will make them seem like a struggling team to begin the year given the winless record but you obviously have to taken into account the juggernaut that is the Dodgers. Detroit was a playoff team last season, just sneaking past the Mariners and sneaking in with a Wild Card spot after two successful series’ against Seattle. The Tigers dominated the Mariners in 2024, boasting a 5-1 record in the season series as those games against Seattle really helped push Detroit ahead in their second half surge to the playoffs that eventually saw them defeat the Houston Astros in the first round. The Motor City Kitties started the season series off just like they did in 2024, behind big performances from their pitching staff and some strong performances at the plate against a Mariners team that will still be in search of some traction as they now head out on their first road trip of the season.
Sights from the opening game of the three-game series between our Seattle Mariners and the visiting Detroit Tigers to close out the opening homestand at T-Mobile Park from March 31st through April 2nd. (Photos by Eric Hiller for Circling Seattle Sports)
Game One: 9-6 Tigers win
Game one was much worse than the final score shows. Starting pitcher Emerson Hancock, taking George Kirby’s spot in the rotation with Kirby on the injured list to begin the season, did not make it out of the first inning. He gave up six runs (all earned) on seven hits, walked one and did not record a strikeout. Mariners skipper Dan Wilson had to go to the bullpen early, and that taxed that group for the entire series. The Tigers finished the game with 18 hits, the most the Mariners have given up early into the 2025 season so far. Hancock’s bad start was bad enough for him to be sent back down to AAA Tacoma after this game, with Seattle in need of some relief in the bullpen considering how much of it they used in this contest. The Mariners did score six runs, more than any of the previous four games, but they came when the game was out of reach. The Tigers number one prospect, Jackson Jobe, started his first game in his career. Jobe was only able to get through four innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits, while walking four and striking out three while also giving up two home runs.
“I think he has elite stuff and he’s got to use it…I think where they ambushed him because he’s a strike thrower and they’re going to be very, very aggressive…they didn’t care what the score was.”
This was an impressive offense showing for the Mariners, even if it came in a loss. Randy Arozarena, Luke Raley and Cal Raleigh all homered in this game. Seattle scored in five of the nine innings, while walking six times. Walks have been an early theme for the offense, even if the bats have not been able to drive them in so far in 2025. This was a frustrating loss because the game felt out of reach from the first inning on, but if you want any sort of positive from it, the offensive production shown is something to point to.
Game two: 4-1 Tigers win
This is hard to believe, but this game was even more frustrating than game one of this series was. The Mariners managed to only get one hit, and that came off a leadoff single from Victor Robles in the first inning. Yes, I know it’s probably hard to believe that or it’s just infuriating to read considering the known ineptitude of this offense, but that’s how this game went for Seattle. The only hit the Mariners got was from the first batter of the game. Logan Gilbert (0-1, 3.00 ERA) took the loss in this one, throwing five innings while allowing three runs (all earned) on five hits, walking just one and punching out 10 despite some troublesome innings in his second outing of the season. That was the sixth time in Logan’s career that he finished a game with double digit strikeouts. The Mariners lone run came off of a Rowdy Tellez sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring J.P. Crawford. Tigers former number one overall pick Casey Mize was dominant in his first outing of the year, as he went 5.2 innings, allowing no runs, while walking three and punching out six. Detroit outfielder Riley Greene homered for the second consecutive night, and was a thorn in the side of the Mariners pitching staff all series long alongside Kerry Carpenter as he continued his torment of Seattle.
After this game, and in 14 career games against the Mariners, Greene is 18-for-56 (.321), hitting 2 HR, 4 doubles, and 7 RBI.
After this game, and in 10 career games against the Mariners, Carpenter is 15-for-37 (.405), with 6 HR and 14 RBI.
“He had a hard time getting into rhythm and then he fell into an incredible rhythm. He had the split going, both variations of the slider, and was efficient…we felt like we had a bigger lead because of the way Casey was throwing.”
Game three: 3-2 Mariners win
Everything was stacked against the Mariners in this one. Reigning Cy Young Award winner and Seattle University alum Tarik Skubal took the mound for the Tigers. Skubal finished 2024 with an 18-4 record, a 2.39 ERA and lead the league in strikeouts with 228. I am not sure what the over/under for his strikeouts in this game was, but I would have bet the over, no matter what given who was pitching for Detroit and the state of the Seattle offense. He did finish with eight strikeouts over his 5.2 innings of work, allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits, while walking three. After the start the Mariners offense has had this year, this was a beacon of light for things to come. Outfielder and leadoff hitter Victor Robles drove in two with a double in the second inning, and Dylan Moore hit his first home run of the season, which was just enough to win the ballgame.
Luis F. Castillo looked like “La Piedra” from a few years ago, shoving in his seven inning of work. He allowed just two runs (both earned) on five hits, walking two and striking out five. Andrés Muñoz earned his third save of the season, though he struggled with command in the beginning of the ninth inning. He gave up a hit and walked two to load the bases, but got ended up getting Tigers outfielder Zach McKinstry to strikeout to end the game.
Stats of note from this series, courtesy of Mariners PR
Cal Raleigh’s first homer of 2025 season in the opening game of the series extended his on-base streak (via H, BB, or HBP) to 18 games, 2nd-longest active on-base streak in MLB behind only Shohei Ohtani-LAD (21 games) at the time.
Reliever Carlos Vargas tossed a career-high 3.2 innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits with a pair of strikeouts in the opening game of the series after Emerson Hancock’s rough outing
Vargas’ 11 outs recorded marked the longest relief appearance by a Seattle pitcher since Luke Weaver (4.1 IP) on Sept. 9, 2023 at Tampa Bay in Trent Thornton’s only start in a Mariners uniform.
Detroit finished the opening game of the series with 18 hits, marking its most hits in a game since they had 20 hits on Aug. 13, 2024, also against the Mariners.
In game two of the series, Logan Gilbert tossed 5.0 innings in his start, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits with 1 walk and 10 strikeouts.
Gilbert’s sixth career game with 10+ strikeouts (last: Sept. 7, 2024 at St. Louis).
Gilbert is the first Mariners pitcher to record 8+ strikeouts in consecutive outings to begin a season since Félix Hernández did it in 4 consecutive outings to begin the 2014 season.
Gilbert became sixth pitcher in franchise history with 10+ strikeouts in an outing of 5.0-or-fewer innings, and first since Bryce Miller also recorded 10 SO in 5.0 IP, on Aug. 6, 2023 at the Angels.
Seattle is now 7-7 vs. the Tigers at T-Mobile Park in the last four seasons and 11-11 overall during that stretch.
Seattle extends its record to 120-103 all-time versus Detroit.
Despite dropping the series, the Mariners are still 7-3-3 in series since Dan Wilson was named Manager on Aug. 22, 2024.
The series finale was Luis F. Castillo’s 1st quality start of the season and his 37th game with 2 or less earned runs across 7.0+ innings (last: Sept. 3, 2024 vs. OAK).
Reliever Gabe Speier holds a 0.35 ERA (1 ER, 24.2 IP) with 27 strikeouts, 3 walks and a 0.69 WHIP in March/April since joining the Mariners (2022-c).
Closer Andrés Muñoz earned the save, becoming the 1st Mariners pitcher since Edwin Díaz (2018) to record a save in each of his first 3 appearances of a season.
David Aardsma holds the franchise record, recording saves in his first 6 appearances of the 2010 season.
Mariners pitchers held the Tigers to 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the series finale, while Muñoz struck out the final batter in the 9th with bases loaded to seal the win.
The Mariners are 6-for-8 (75%) in stole base attempts this season, with Ryan Bliss (2), Julio Rodriguez (2), Cal Raleigh (1) and now Moore (1), each swiping at least 1 bag this season.
The Mariners set a franchise record with 83.3% (140-for-168) success rate on stolen bases in 2024.
With a base hit in his first at-bat of the game in the series finale, Cal Raleigh reached base safely for the 20th consecutive game…he trails Shohei Ohtani (24) for the longest active streak in the Majors.
Raleigh’s streak is the 2nd-longest in franchise history among catchers, trailing Tom Lampkin with 24 (05/31/2000-04/29/2001).
With his double in the series finale, Victor Robles has reached base safely in 32-of-42 games at T-Mobile Park since joining the Mariners on June 4, 2024.
With 3 walks in the series finale, Seattle’s offense has drawn 29 walks through 7 games, the most walks Seattle has drawn to start a season since 1980 (29)
What’s next?
With this series loss, the Mariners finish the homestead with a 3-4 record. They have not been good offensively, but they still managed to get a win against the toughest of opponents, and split a series against a divisional opponent that should be more exciting than they might get credit for. After an earned off day, the Mariners will head to San Francisco to take on the Giants for a three-game series in what will be a quick trip. Friday’s game is the Giants home opener, so the game will start at 1:35PM PDT. San Francisco is the only stop on this short road trip before we welcome the Mariners back for another tough homestead against the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers, the second home set of the year.
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