Mariners News: Julio Rodríguez's big day, Andrés Muñoz HBP scare, Matt Brash, more

After a day off from the Cactus League schedule on Tuesday, the Seattle Mariners were back in action on Wednesday. By the end of the day, even the phrase "so much just happened" didn't cut it.

The day was marked by big praise and a big home run for superstar center fielder Julio Rodríguez, an Andrés Muñoz fastball that scared the crud out of Kansas City Royals fans, a huge step forward for Matt Brash and, finally, another round of roster moves.

Here's what Mariners fans need to know on Thursday morning.

J-Rod gets blessed by KD, celebrates with Grand Salami Time

I, personally, did not have one of the greatest basketball players of all-time showering love on the Mariners' biggest star on my 2025 bingo card. But Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant made it happen on Wednesday, and there's video proof courtesy of MLB's X account:

As Durant further elaborated: "I'm probably just biased because that's my boy, we're actually cool."

There's a bit of inherent weirdness in hearing a guy who was meant to be Seattle's prodigal son hyping up an actual prodigal son of city. But Mariners fans ought to see this as a blessing. Indeed, it would be a perfectly acceptable outcome if J-Rod went on to channel Durant by becoming a 15-time All-Star, an MVP, and a two-time World Series champion.

He's already off to a good start to this end, as he crushed a grand slam in the Mariners' tilt against the Kansas City Royals hours after getting Durant's endorsement:

Nice swing, Julio. Just make sure to point to the right bullpen next time.

Andrés Muñoz nearly becomes Public Enemy No. 1 in KC

In less light news from Wednesday's exhibition, the Royals got quite the scare when superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. took a 95.9 mph fastball from Muñoz off his left arm in the fifth inning.

Thankfull, as Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported, Witt is not badly hurt. The runner-up for the 2024 AL MVP has a forearm contusion, but no fractures. Royals manager Matt Quatraro said after the game that Witt initially lost feeling in his fingers, but that it was coming back.

Speaking on behalf of the Mariners fanbase: Sorry about that one, Royals fans. Yet given that Muñoz has been clocked as high as 103.2 mph on his fastball, it also could have been worse.

Matt Brash faces live hitters

Though Brash is unlikely to rejoin the Mariners bullpen before late April, it'll do for a sign of progress that he threw a live batting practice session on Wednesday. It was a first for him since he had Tommy John surgery last May. And even if hitters weren't swinging, that didn't calm Brash's nerves.

“I was a little nervous this morning, honestly,” the righty said, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. “It’s not because I was nervous that I was going to feel something or anything like that. It was just like excitement. Whenever you have a game, you can’t eat as much and you’re just kind of ready to go. And that’s how I felt, which is really cool, to get that feeling back.”

A healthy Brash could be a game-changer for the Mariners in 2025. As a reminder, his last healthy season in 2023 yielded 78 appearances, a 3.06 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 70.2 innings.

Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes re-assigned

Finally, here's the latest round of cuts to the Mariners' spring training roster:

The biggest names here belong to Emerson and Montes, who rank as the Mariners' No. 1 and No. 2 prospects for MLB Pipeline. Both had been making noise in the Cactus League, with Emerson offering one booming homer and the ever-powerful Montes going off for two in his own right.

However, Mariners fans need not worry about missing out on their fix of Emerson and Montes. Both will represent the team in MLB's Spring Breakout event, which gets underway for the Mariners on Friday with a matchup against the Cleveland Guardians at 5:05 p.m. PT.