For the first time since 2008, the Mariners will have a new Opening Day starter. Just this past week, it was announced that it would be Marco Gonzales to take the ball for game one vs. the Athletics at the Tokyo Dome—a gesture that left the southpaw emotional considering his path to this point.
From not being highly recruited out of high school to being drafted in the first round to pitching in the Postseason as a rookie to Tommy John to a trade to, now, the significant gesture that is being handed the ball to open the year—it’s been a journey, to put it lightly.