‘Nothing beats Opening Day’: Mariners fans celebrate baseball’s return to Seattle with World Series hopes

Mariners baseball is back in Seattle as Opening Day kicks off with a 7:10 p.m. first pitch against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park.

The Mariners are coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history, narrowly missing the World Series with a loss in Game 7 of the American League Championship. The team looks to right their wrongs in their 50th season as they have emerged as one of the favorites to not only play in the World Series, but to win it all.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan told Seattle Sports this week that he views the Mariners as one of the best teams in baseball, noting Seattle’s deep lineup embodies what he loves most in a team.

“I am picking the Seattle Mariners to go to the World Series this year,” Passan said. “I think they’re the best team in the American League, I think they are the second-best team in baseball, and I would love to have somebody change my mind on it because I don’t want to be the one who cursed Seattle. I have had that tendency in the past, and yet I cannot quit these Mariners. So much about them embodies what I love in a baseball team and what I think makes a really successful baseball team.”

Fans share World Series dreams at the park ahead of Opening Day

Ahead of the long, suspenseful 162-game season, KIRO Newsradio was at the park gauging the fans’ excitement for the season and what Opening Day means to them ahead of the 2026 season.

“Here with the lights on and the paint, it’s just all fresh and new,” a Mariners fan said. “The start of the baseball season, there’s just something romantic and exciting about baseball. It’s a long season, but nothing beats Opening Day, except going to the World Series.”

One fan, Yolanda, explained how the Mariners’ season piques her interest all season long, from Opening Day all the way up to October.

“I mean, this is where we spend most of our time, from Spring through Summer and through Fall, cause we’re going to go to the postseason. I’ve got a pretty good feeling about it,” Yolanda said.

For fans excited to rep their beloved Mariners this season, some may need to hang up the old garb and grab one of the many new items available at the Mariners Team Store.

“We want to focus on kids, obviously. Every generation we want to grow up as Mariners fans, we really made an effort for our women’s program, just because we want every type of body, every type of shape, and style to find what they want,” a team shop employee said. “We really have something for all fans. The best part is at the Mariners Team Store, we have so many exclusive designs you can’t find anywhere else, so really we are a destination if you want something.”

Clear skies, cool temps through the weekend series

The first pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. against the Cleveland Guardians, but pregame festivities will get underway at 6:30 p.m.

The roof of the stadium should be open as higher pressure builds over the region in the wake of the mid-week wet, blustery weather system. Skies are expected to gradually clear on Thursday.

Temperatures, though, will be chilly with first-pitch readings around 50 degrees. Temperatures will drop well into the 40s as the game proceeds. If going to the game, be sure to be prepared for the cool conditions by wearing several layers of clothing, head coverings, and perhaps even gloves.

The weather should remain dry for both Friday and Saturday contests, with sunshine on both days.

Temperatures through the weekend will again remain cool with evening ballgame readings mainly in the mid-40s to lower 50s.

World’s largest Amazon Fire TV debuts at T-Mobile Park

On Tuesday, the Mariners announced a massive, 209-foot upgrade to their in-game entertainment experience. A fully upgraded Amazon Fire TV, the largest in the world, has replaced the old center field video board.

The “Mariners Fire TV” at T-Mobile Park will “revolutionize” fans’ entertainment experiences at home games with its advanced LED display technology and built-in Fire TV features.

“The Mariners are known for delivering a world-class game-day atmosphere, and together, we’re taking it even further—with dynamic, immersive content displayed in stunning clarity on the world’s biggest Fire TV experience,” said Aidan Marcuss, Vice President, Fire TV.

Seattle Sports provides all-day radio coverage

For fans who cannot attend a game during the Opening Day homestand, the cable schedule has seen a few changes, but look no further: all channels have been announced just in time for Opening Day.

Mariners insider Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports reported Wednesday that Mariners games will be shown on both Xfinity and Spectrum cable in the Seattle and Tacoma area. On Xfinity, Mariners games will air on channel 1261, while on Spectrum, they will air on channel 414.

As always, radio broadcasts of Mariners games air for free from the Mariners Radio Network flagship station, Seattle Sports, with games on the Seattle Sports app always available for those in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, and Alaska. For details on how to stream Mariners radio broadcasts from Seattle Sports, click here.

Mariners Radio Network coverage will begin at 6 p.m. with the pregame show, preceded by a full day of Mariners coverage on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk (6-10 a.m.), Bump and Stacy (live from T-Mobile Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), and Wyman and Bob (live from 2-6 p.m. from Hatback across the street from the park).

Contributing: Seattle Sports; Ted Buehner, KIRO Newsradio; Jason Sutich, MyNorthwest

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