TEMPE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Logan Gilbert #36 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 14, 2026 in Tempe, Arizona. (John E. Moore III / Getty Images)
Logan Gilbert will make the Opening Day start for the Seattle Mariners against the Cleveland Guardians to open the 2026 MLB season next Thursday night.
It's the second straight year that Gilbert has earned the nod to open the season for the Mariners.
"As we’ve done a lot in the past, we pulled all of them in and obviously these are difficult decisions, and every one of those guys is a number one," manager Dan Wilson said, via Tim Booth of The Seattle Times. "But just where we are right now in spring, Logan was the guy that is slated for that.
"It’s great to see Logan get the ball and we’re excited about all those guys taking the ball when they do so. But I think the way that we’ve seen Logan develop over the years and him coming off of a year where he was on the IL for the first time, I really appreciate the way he’s bounced back from that and he’s certainly ready to go."
Coming off an All-Star appearance in 2024, Gilbert was the obvious choice to open the season last year. However, Bryan Woo's stellar 2025 campaign also made him a logical option to potentially get the nod.
Gilbert allowed just one run on two hits with no walks and eight strikeouts over seven innings last year in a 4-2 victory over the Sacramento Athletics. Gilbert is the 11th different pitcher with multiple opening day starts with Seattle.
Gilbert missed over a month due to injury last season and struggled to recapture his consistency until late in the season. But across five starts in September, Gilbert allowed just seven earned runs over 27 ⅓ innings (2.30 ERA) with five walks and 29 strikeouts as the Mariners claimed their first AL West title in 24 years.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Mariners and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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