Fan of the week: Diehard Seattle Mariners couple makes the case why weekday day games hit different

If you want to spot the most loyal Seattle Mariners fans, skip the weekend crowds and head to T-Mobile Park for a weekday day game.

The atmosphere is familiar. The ballpark food remains a hit, and the beer is cold, but the difference is noticeable. There are more empty seats, thinner crowds, and a quieter energy that builds in moments.

Among those in attendance during Monday’s Game 4 against the Houston Astros were fans like Chris and Kayla, representing the core of Seattle’s baseball faithful.

Chris has followed the team since the Kingdome era. A lifelong Mariners supporter who still makes time for weekday games. Kayla, initially more aligned with the Seattle Seahawks — a loyalty reflected in her bright “Action Green” hair — has embraced Mariners fandom over time.

During the seventh-inning stretch, the pair joined other fans in singing along before diving headfirst into the fan of the week speed round:

What’s your favorite Mariners moment?

Chris: “To tell you the truth, it was when Randy Johnson blew apart that pigeon.”
Kayla: “No, that’s horrible. That’s like Ozzy Osbourne biting the bat…”
Chris: “How many pitchers can honestly say ‘I’ve thrown a pitch and have hit a pigeon?'”
Kayla: “It’s aggressive … that’s a little aggressive.”

For reference, Johnson struck and killed a bird with a fastball during a 2001 spring training game against the San Francisco Giants in Tucson, Arizona. However, he was pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks at the time. Sorry, Chris.

25 years ago today (yes, 25), Randy Johnson killed a bird. pic.twitter.com/dbzugcEcPg

— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) March 24, 2026

Who’s your favorite Mariner?

Chris: “I’ve always preferred Griffey and Randy Johnson myself.”
Kayla: “Cal Raleigh.”

What’s your go-to ballpark food?

Chris: “Hot dog.”
Kayla: “Hot dog, but we tried the crab nachos.”

Ketchup or mustard?

Chris: “Both.”
Kayla: “We want jalapeños and all of it. We want everything.”

What’s your favorite M’s uniform?

Kayla: “I like the 50th anniversary white and blue uniforms.”
Chris: “The original?”
Kayla: “Yeah…”
Chris: “For me, it’s always been the white and blue.”

What is the one team you cannot stand?

Chris: “Right now, the Astros.”
Kayla: “I’m going to go with the Astros.”

Bonus questions:

Real grass or Astroturf?

Kayla: “Astro…”
Chris: “I personally would do natural grass because I’m a landscaper.”
Kayla: “Us simpletons keep it simple.”
Chris: “Astroturf makes more sense.”
Kayla: “Yeah, it does … it does.”

Baseball cap forward or backward?

Chris: “Forward.”
Kayla: “Forward.”
Luke: ” Always?”
Chris: “Always…”
Kayla: “Always … except you have to have a curved bill. None of this straight bill stuff.”

Is the Ichiro stature unveiling mishap the “break” the Mariners needed?

Chris: “Yes…”
Kayla: “I 100% think it was the mess-up we needed.”

What is your hope for this Mariners season?

Kayla: “I hope this is our season. If we have a season like we did last year, where we get our hopes up and drop the ball, I can’t do that again. We’re going all the way this season, all the way.”
Chris: “We need to keep up with the Seahawks.”
Kayla: “That’s two different sports.”
Chris: “I don’t care. We’ve got to bring it as a whole to the city of Seattle.”
Kayla: “Look, we’re so close, we’re getting there, we’re going to win the whole damn thing.”

Following a four-game sweep of the Houston Astros and a 4-1 loss to the San Diego Padres, the Seattle Mariners are currently fourth in the AL West with an 8-10 record.

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