Mariners' Victor Robles: Manager optimistic after HBP
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Mariners manager Dan Wilson "sounded optimistic" that Robles would be OK after the outfielder was hit by a pitch on his right hand and forced to exit Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. However, Robles will still need to undergo an X-ray and possibly other tests.
Robles appeared to be in considerable pain after taking a slider to the wrist in his fourth plate appearance Saturday. This initial word is positive, but Robles is not out of the woods yet. He is looking to build on his excellent run with Seattle last season during which he slashed .328/.393/.467 with four homers and 30 steals in just 77 games.
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Mariners' Victor Robles: Exits game after HBP
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Robles left Saturday's Cactus League game against the White Sox after being hit by a pitch on his right hand, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Robles singled in both of his first two trips but was then plunked in his fourth plate appearance, and he appeared to be in considerable pain. The Mariners figure to send him for tests right away to determine the extent of the injury.
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Mariners' Dominic Canzone: Optioned to Tacoma
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The Mariners optioned Canzone to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.
Canzone didn't put up much of a fight in the race for an Opening Day roster spot, slashing just .209/.244/.395 with three RBI and nine runs scored in 45 plate appearances. He'll now look to earn his way back to the majors in Tacoma, where he finished with an .888 OPS across 29 games last season.
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Mariners' Austin Shenton: Sent to Tacoma
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The Mariners optioned Shenton to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.
In his first spring with the Mariners after being traded from Tampa Bay during the offseason, Shenton went 9-for-34 with two RBI, four runs scored and 13 strikeouts. He'll now head to Triple-A to begin the 2025 campaign but could soon work his way back to Seattle, as he owns a .932 OPS across his Triple-A career.
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Mariners' George Kirby: Will throw again Saturday
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Kirby (shoulder) made 20 throws from 60 feet Friday and will expand his throwing distance to 75 feet Saturday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Kirby was cleared to begin a throwing program Friday, two weeks after being sidelined with right shoulder inflammation. The right-hander was given a biologics injection last week, which he said definitely helped speed along the healing process. There is no timetable for when Kirby will be ready to make his season debut, as the Mariners will have to see how he responds to the ramp-up.
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Mariners' George Kirby: Plays catch Friday
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Kirby (shoulder) played catch with a trainer for a few minutes Friday, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.
It's not much, but it's the first time Kirby's done any throwing since he was diagnosed with right shoulder inflammation March 7. The right-hander is hoping to be ready for his season debut around mid-April, but a clear timeline for the right-hander has not yet been established.
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Mariners' Julio Rodriguez: Back from illness Friday
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Rodriguez (illness) is starting in center field and batting second in Friday's split-squad game against the Reds.
Rodriguez has been dealing with an illness this week but is ready to rejoin the lineup Friday after taking a few days to rest up. The 24-year-old totaled 20 homers and 24 steals in 143 games last season but also had a career-worst .734 OPS. Rodriguez is batting just .229 through 13 spring games but has found his power stroke with three long balls.
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Mariners' Emerson Hancock: Will begin season as fifth starter
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Hancock will open the regular season as Seattle's No. 5 starter, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports.
There was little doubt Hancock would be able to win the job, given the lack of other candidates on the roster, but he solidified himself after allowing just one run on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Rangers. George Kirby (shoulder) is not expected to rejoin the Mariners until mid-April, setting up Hancock to make a handful of starts to begin the campaign. "He's really had a good camp. I think he's really taken a step forward here," manager Dan Wilson said. Even so, the 2020 first-rounder's fantasy upside could still be restricted, considering Hancock fanned a lowly 14.7 percent of the batters he faced over 60.2 innings in 2024.
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Mariners' George Kirby: Hopes to start playing catch soon
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Kirby (shoulder) hopes to begin playing catch in the next few days, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
After receiving an injection last week, Kirby has since resumed strengthening exercises but will remain in Arizona for three more weeks to continue his rehab. The Mariners shut Kirby down from throwing on March 7 due to right shoulder inflammation, and the star right-hander's timetable for a return remains up in the air a bit. With Kirby's throwing program still yet to begin, it sounds like fantasy managers shouldn't plan on having him available until mid-April at the earliest. "I'm hoping to get back up there by the middle of April," Kirby said.
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Mariners' Rowdy Tellez: Pushing for roster spot this spring
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Tellez has made a strong case for an Opening Day roster spot this spring, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
Tellez, who is currently a non-roster invitee, is leaving the Mariners with a tough roster decision to make ahead of Opening Day. Through 37 Cactus League at-bats, the veteran slugger is batting .297 with three home runs, two doubles and four RBI. If Tellez makes the cut, he's expected to mix in at first base with fellow left-handed hitter Luke Raley and at designated hitter with Mitch Garver as well as Mitch Haniger (shoulder).
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Mariners' Dylan Moore: Appears ticketed for utility role
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Moore could end up serving mostly as a utility player this season as opposed to being an everyday starter, Tim Booth of The Seattle Times reports.
The Mariners have holes to fill in the infield following the offseason departures of Josh Rojas and Justin Turner from Seattle. Jorge Polanco is penciled in as the club's primary third baseman, and a strong spring training by Ryan Bliss has put him in contention to start at second base to open the season. Moore is just 3-for-34 this spring and could be on the outside looking in when it comes to an everyday role, but he should see plenty of action while bouncing all around the diamond in 2025. "I think as a utility player, when there is a spot open or there is availability for a spot, somebody goes down, that is also your job," Moore said. "So if there is a spot open, I always think that I am the guy to go fill that need for however long."
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Mariners' Teddy McGraw: Moving to bullpen
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McGraw (elbow) will move to the bullpen this year, MLB Pipeline reports.
McGraw has already had two Tommy John surgeries and more elbow trouble has limited him to just 8.2 professional innings -- all coming in August of 2024. Per the Pipeline scouting report, McGraw has avoided surgery this time around and there is "cautious optimism" about him getting his career going with a move to the bullpen. McGraw has electric stuff, so he could be a late-inning weapon if he can put his arm trouble behind him.
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Mariners' Troy Taylor: Slated for stint on IL
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Taylor (lat) will begin the season on the injured list but is expected back at some point in April, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Taylor has been held out of Cactus League play due to a right lat strain suffered back in January. He has progressed well since then and will throw a live batting practice session Wednesday, but the the 23-year-old reliever simply needs more time to ramp up. Taylor collected a 3.72 ERA and 25:7 K:BB over 19.1 innings with Seattle last season.
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Mariners' Julio Rodriguez: Falls ill Monday
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Rodriguez was scratched from the lineup for Monday's Cactus League game against the Athletics due to an illness, Shannon Drayer of SeattleSports.com reports.
Rodriguez wasn't feeling well upon reporting to the ballpark Monday, so he'll likely receive a day or two off before making his return to the lineup. Luke Raley will start in center field Monday in Rodriguez's stead. The 22-year-old outfielder has already logged 35 at-bats in Cactus League play, batting .229 with three home runs and one stolen base.
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Mariners' Victor Robles: Heating up in March
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Robles went 1-for-11 in four Cactus League games in February, but he's hitting .250 with one home run, two doubles and one stolen base over 24 at-bats since the start of March.
Robles is slated to serve as a table setter in Seattle's lineup in 2025, as he perhaps stands out as the most likely candidate to work as the leadoff hitter to begin the campaign. After the former top prospect was discarded by the Nationals in 2024, Robles went on to slash an impressive .328/.393/.467 with four homers, 20 doubles, 30 stolen bases and 41 runs scored across 262 plate appearances with the Mariners. Even if Robles experiences some regression as a hitter this year, the veteran outfielder's glove and speed should keep him in the lineup regularly.
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Mariners' J.P. Crawford: Feeling healthy entering new season
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Crawford is batting just .214 with one home run and two RBI over 28 at-bats in the Cactus League, but he enters the 2025 season with a clean bill of health, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Following an injury-plagued season that saw him deal with an oblique strain and a fractured hand, Crawford is looking to put his tough 2024 campaign behind him. "I couldn't get in a rhythm and every time I started to hit good, those injuries popped up," Crawford said this past Monday. "It pretty much hurt every time I swung the bat." However, the 30-year-old infielder believes he's "in a great spot" health-wise this spring, and he's set to reprise his role as Seattle's everyday shortstop after hitting a career-low .202 across just 105 games last season.
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Mariners' Mitch Garver: Back in action Saturday
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Garver (hand/wrist) went 0-for-2 with one walk in his return to the lineup during Saturday's Cactus League game against the Padres.
After being hit in the hand by a pitch in Monday's Cactus League game against the Brewers, Garver was back in action Saturday as the cleanup hitter. The veteran slugger has excelled this spring, batting .400 (8-for-20) with three home runs and six RBI. With Mitch Haniger dealing with a shoulder injury, Garver is mainly competing with Donovan Solano for at-bats as Seattle's primary designated hitter.
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Mariners' Luis Castillo: Solid spring continues Saturday
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Castillo didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's Cactus League game against San Diego after giving up two runs on five hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out four.
After throwing three scoreless innings Saturday, Castillo watched Gavin Sheets go deep for one run and Connor Joe hit a double to plate another in the fourth frame. While Castillo has struggled with the long ball this spring, allowing three homers across 12.2 innings, he encouragingly hasn't yielded greater than two runs in any of his four Cactus League starts. The 32-year-old right-hander will have the benefit of working about half of his outings in 2025 at the pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park, where Castillo boasts a 2.89 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 279 strikeouts through 233.2 innings (39 starts) since joining the Mariners in 2022.
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Mariners' Randy Arozarena: Adds first homer to steady spring
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Arozarena went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Cactus League game against San Diego and is now batting .297 (11-for-37) with three RBI and two stolen bases this spring.
It's been a steady spring for Arozarena, who took Padres right-hander Michael King deep in the fourth inning Saturday for his first long ball during exhibition action. Through 13 Cactus League appearances, Arozarena has reached base safely in 10 outings. The 30-year-old outfielder is aiming for his fifth consecutive 20-homer, 20-steal campaign in 2025, so he should be a solid source of power and speed in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.
Haniger has been out since March 8 due to discomfort in his left shoulder, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
It's unclear how severe Haniger's injury is or when he might return to the Mariners' lineup, though the fact he's gone a week without playing is discouraging. Before his injury, the 34-year-old had gone 3-for-18 with a home run and three strikeouts over seven spring games.
