PEORIA, Ariz. — Maybe it was the chance to watch Cactus League games via free webcast or perhaps even in-person, seeing the sunshine and feeling the warmth literally and metaphorically, hearing the familiar sounds of the ballpark and watching young prospects shine.
If the stubborn tenacity of Colt Emerson somehow forced irritation to disrupt the execution of Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez, it would've been easily understandable. The veteran right-hander who missed essentially all of the 2024 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, was working on a limited pitch count in his second spring training start.
PEORIA, Ariz. – On the morning of March 21, 2024, Scott Servais sat in his office at the Peoria Sports Complex. Two nights prior, his Mariners posted 18 hits and 12 runs (with just five strikeouts) in a 12-3 clubbing of the Colorado Rockies, followed by a deserved day off. They’d soon wrap a sizzling spring with more runs per game (6.3) than any team in MLB.
With a big swing, a big stature and a big smile, Lazaro Montes is winning over new fans every day during his first major-league camp with the Mariners. Earlier this winter, though, Seattle’s 20-year-old outfield prospect had already won over perhaps his biggest new fan yet.
With the 2025 season approaching, there has been a growing debate as to whether Logan Gilbert or Luis Castillo will be named the opening day starter and lead the team onto the field in that last Thursday in March.