TOKYO — In the days after his phone finally stopped buzzing with congratulatory texts and phone calls from friends and family so excited for him, a normalcy returned to Marco Gonzales’ baseball life. The routine of his daily preparation leading up to his next spring training start — not the first start of the season — became the focus.
The initial reaction and the emotion after being told he would be the Mariners’ opening day starter for the 2019 season was a little overwhelming and difficult to process.
“I was just overjoyed and excited to be able to start this thing off for us,” Gonzales said in press conference before Monday’s game in Tokyo.