Mariners fall to Cleveland on Opening Night

Published 12:34 am Friday, March 27, 2026

SEATTLE — A solid pitching start from Logan Gilbert and four home runs by the offense were not enough for the Seattle Mariners to earn an Opening Day win Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians.

Rookie right fielder Chase DeLauter dampened an otherwise festive evening for 43,938 fans at T-Mobile Park.

DeLauter became the sixth rookie in Major League Baseball history to hit multiple home runs in his first game in the bigs, helping Cleveland beat the Mariners 6-4.

DeLauter got to Gilbert in the first inning, after a borderline pitch set up a full count.

“The 3-2 pitch, I just didn’t rip it like I usually do, a true slider,” said Gilbert, who pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out seven and walking none. “So I think it was 85 (MPH), a little slower. So not to take anything away from his swing, but just looking back, I didn’t treat it the way I should have.”

DeLauter’s second homer, a solo shot in the ninth, gave Cleveland some cushion heading into the ninth, where the Mariners went down in order.

DeLauter’s first game overshadowed two homers from Dominic Canzone, as well as solo shots from Brendan Donovan and Luke Raley.

“Obviously, that kid could swing the bat,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “He’s a big kid, he’s got some size, and put together some good at-bats. … It’s a good way for him to start the season, and we’re going to have to solve it as we go.”

Though the two teams combined for six home runs, it was a double that put the Guardians in the lead for good.

Gabe Speier’s first outing of the season was a rough one. Speier, who had a 6.14 ERA in the 2025 postseason and a 7.71 ERA for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, gave up a two-run, two-out double to Jose Ramirez in the seventh for a 5-3 Cleveland lead. Speier allowed three hits in the seventh inning. His ERA after Game 1 stands at 18.00.

In the bottom of the first, Donovan made a little history of his own for Seattle. He became the first Mariner to lead the first game of a season off with a home run in 50 years of opening nights. Known as a contact hitter, Seattle’s new third baseman hit a 3-1 fastball over the wall in right field, willing the ball to stay fair as it began hooking toward the foul pole.

The crowd, at times bringing energy similar to the noise they brought during the Mariners’ eventual loss in the American League Championship Series, made an immediate impression on Donovan.

“Yeah, it was rocking,” Donovan said. “It was cool. The music was good, the fans are loud, and it was great. There were some really, really cool moments tonight.”

Canzone provided some of those, giving the Mariners their first lead of the 2026 season with a second-inning, 418-foot shot to right-center for a 2-1 edge. His second home run, a 444-foot blast to center, cut the Guardians’ lead to 5-3

Fresh off his strong performance for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, Canzone provided a spark from the designated hitter spot.

“Coming out tonight and doing what he did — outstanding work,” Wilson said. “When he’s able to square a ball up, the ball goes a long way. And we saw that tonight for sure.”

Canzone said the work he’s put in with Mariners hitting coaches Kevin Seitzer and Bobby Magalles has improved his approach.

“They keep me through the middle of the field,” he said. “Just trying to hit line drives up the middle. And if it goes, it goes.”

Donovan, Canzone and Raley combined for five of Seattle’s six hits in the game, while spots 2-3-4 spots in the lineup struggled. Cal Raleigh (0-for-3, walk, three strikeouts), Julio Rodriguez (0-for-3, 3 K’s) and Josh Naylor (0-for-4) failed to get a hit in 12 at-bats while striking out six times.

“It’s Game 1, and I thought Cal did a really nice job behind the plate,” Wilson said.

After DeLauter’s first home run, Gilbert cruised through innings 2-4 before the Cleveland bats found him in the fifth.

Consecutive hits by Rhys Hoskins and Daniel Schneemann to lead off the inning put runners at second and third. Brayan Rocchio drove them both in with a sharp groundball double down the first baseline for a 3-2 Guardians lead. Gilbert escaped further damage by inducing a pop-up from Steven Kwan and throwing a fastball that DeLauter watched cross the lower-inside corner for strike three.

Gilbert threw 86 pitches (59 strikes) in 5 1/3 innings.

Raley tied it up in the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot, but the Mariners couldn’t finish a two-out rally in the sixth. Leo Rivas walked, and Donovan poked a double down the third baseline to put runners at second and third — two of the three runners Seattle put in scoring position for the game. But Raleigh struck out for the second time to leave them stranded.

Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee allowed three runs in five innings for the Guardians. He took the mound for the sixth, but exited with right shoulder inflammation before throwing to a batter in the inning.