Unlikely home run theatrics save Mariners from total embarrassment on Opening Day

Look, we're not going to deny it's extremely frustrating that the Mariners started arguably the most anticipated season in franchise history with a loss, especially when you add in how good they usually are on Opening Day. (They entered Thursday's game with the second-best Opening Day winning percentage in Major League history.) However, there were still plenty of opportunities to cheer the home team, thanks to a bevvy of home runs in the 6-4 loss to the Guardians.

Led by Cal Raleigh's historic 60 home run campaign, the Mariners regularly smashed the ball into the stands last season and they finished third in the majors with 238 bombs. (Also the fifth-most in franchise history.) And based on Thursday evening at T-Mobile Park, fans can expect more of the same in 2026 as the team hit four more.

What an introduction to the Mariners fanabase by Brendan Donovan

What made the four homers extra special was that there was a bit of fun history involved. It all began with Brendan Donovan, who couldn't have gotten his Mariners career off to a better start than hitting the first Opening Day leadoff home run in franchise history, and with it coming in their 50th season:

Next up it was the turn of Dominic Canzone, coming off his best Major League season yet and starting this campaign in fine style by giving the Mariners their only lead of the night in the bottom of the second. Although it was his second solo jack in the bottom of the seventh which put him in the record books, as he joined Jim Presley, Richie Sexson and the legendary Ken Griffey Jr. as only the fourth player in M's history to go deep twice on Opening Day:

The other home run came in the bottom of the fifth by Luke Raley, who himself had a career year during his first season with the Mariners in 2024, but is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2025. And while his deep blast didn't have the same historical Opening Day implications as his two teammates, his 113.8 exit velocity was faster than all but three of the Mariners' 238 home runs last season:

Last season Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Jorge Polanco and Randy Arozarena accounted for just over 60 percent of the Mariners' home runs. Regressions are expected for Raleigh and Arozarena while Polanco is no longer with the team, so the team will be hoping other players can step up and hit their fair share over the course of the coming months.

As such, as nice as home runs always are and as good as it is to know the power is still there, it's even better to see them when they come from non-obvious Mariners players. The hope is that the likes of Donovan, Canzone and Raley can keep it up, although at the risk of sounding greedy, can we ask that at least one man is on board more often than not moving forward?