Emily Klesick details the Mariners’ decision to start Logan Gilbert on Opening Day, the potential for an extension, and the overall hope for his bounce-back year.
Exactly one week before Opening Day, the Mariners made the announcement that we’d all been waiting for:
Logan Gilbert is slated as the Opening Day starting arm.
There had been a great deal of speculation around the front office’s decision as to who would be on the bump for March 26th. Logan was last year’s starter for the season opener after Luis Castillo led the rotation in the two seasons prior. And while much of the decision for who takes the ball on opening day is purely symbolic, it does set the rotation’s tone and, in many ways, declares your ace.
Leading into this announcement, one of the biggest questions was centered around what the M’s goal was for naming their lead rotation guy. Was it simply intended to be a nod to the best starting pitcher in their rotation from 2025? If so, the obvious answer would be Bryan Woo, who was a first-time All Star, set a franchise record for the most consecutive starts going at least six innings (25), carried a 2.94 ERA, all with a 15-7 record and 198 strikeouts. Bryan Woo was a picture of consistency and grit in 2025, and garnered a great deal of both local and national media attention, with serious chatter about a potential Cy Young award before an injury set him on the IL for the remainder of the regular season and into October.
But as many of us in Mariners media have speculated, the decision for the lead guy wasn’t going to be simply a decision of who earned it in 2025. This decision needed to point to the future as well.
As we sit, Logan Gilbert is set to enter free agency at the end of the 2027 season. This means he has two full seasons left of team control before he hits the open market. The M’s do not want that to happen, and are almost certainly working to ensure he signs an extension before then. And part of that work may include giving him the nod for opening day.
Now I want to be clear about something: stating that I believe the Mariners front office was future-minded in announcing Logan as the opening day starter does not mean that I think he isn’t deserving. The healthy version of Logan Gilbert is arguably one of the best pitchers in the American League, with a career ERA of 3.55, 884 strikeouts, and a WHIP of right around 1.05. Logan, or rather his alter-ego Walter, shows up and grinds on the mound, and while 2025 was a challenging year for him with his injury and recovery, returning to his 2024 season form would establish him even more deeply as an elite arm.
That said, Logan struggled in 2025. After an injury in April that set him on the IL and kept him out of the rotation until mid-June, Logan took some time to get back into his usual form. If anyone asks him how he feels about last season, he’s quick to say that it wasn’t the performance he was hoping for, and he hopes to get back to his usual self as soon as possible. And as much as no one in Seattle wants to hold 2025 against him, there is an element of needing to see what he looks like this season before we declare it as a one-off.
The next question is: Will we see an extension for Logan before Thursday? While I think the likelihood is low, this does feel somewhat akin to the prelude to Cal’s extension on the Tuesday before opening day last year. It’s something to be hopeful for, even if it is unlikely.
I, for one, am delighted that Logan is getting the ball on Thursday. I think he’s more than deserving and is positioned well for a bounce-back year. Regardless, the fact that we are now just five days away from opening day is exciting in itself. Having the rotation we do and knowing there were two great options to choose from for this decision, it’s a great problem to have.
Here’s to a great start to the season with Logan leading the charge. Anticipation for 2026 is high, and expectations are even higher. I know I speak for all Mariners fans when I say that we absolutely cannot wait to get started.
