‘Tridents’--and spirits--up on Mariners’ Opening Day. Roars for Julio Rodriguez. And more

There was Ichiro.

There was Ken Griffey Jr. — jerseys, on the backs of SO many fans.

There was Felix Hernandez, his arms out wide again. He was basking in more roars from a sold-out crowd that will always love the retired Cy Young Award pitcher for being so good into the 2010s — when the Mariners were not.

And there was Julio Rodriguez, to the Mariners now what Ichiro was in the 2000s and Griffey was in the 1990s. Still just 23 beginning his third year in the major leagues, Rodriguez got the loudest roars of all Seattle players introduced Thursday night to begin this season of yet more soaring expectations.

And there were tridents.

Everywhere, there were tridents. They were in, out, around and on the field at T-Mobile Park for Opening Day.

A guy wearing a Griffey throwback jersey from a memorable Mariners “Turn Ahead the Clock Night” game in 1998 walked up to the park’s home-plate entrance about 2 1/2 hours before first pitch, carrying a trident across Edgar Martinez Drive.

The pregame ceremonies on the field began with a man behind second base twirling a flaming trident. He really was, like a hot baton.

J.P. Crawford was the first Mariners starting player introduced as the leadoff batter for Opening Day. The shortstop wasn’t two steps into his jog from the outfield to the infield when he was handed, yes, a trident.

For these 2024 Mariners, it’s “Tridents Up.”

That’s the new marketing motto for this team that broke a 21-year playoff drought in 2022. The M’s missed the postseason last season. They returned Thursday night for 2024 with a retooled offense that should strike out less, a still-young, still-strong defensive core — and a starting pitching rotation many feel is baseball’s best.

The Mariners’ 6-4 loss to Boston in game one was the first look at whether Seattle’s offseason of selective spending at second base and designated hitter and restocking the bullpen around the five ace starters are going to be enough for the team to finally win the American League West for the first time since 2001.

The first glance: That bullpen gave up two runs in four innings behind ace Luis Castillo Thursday. Those two runs became the difference in the Mariners’ loss.

“We are ready to start the journey,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said a few hours before Castillo set down the Red Sox in order, with two strikeouts, to begin the game.

“There’s a really good vibe around our team right now. We are very mature group, in the fact that they clearly understand where they want to take this thing. ...

“I think it’s going to serve us well here early in the season.”

Perhaps.

Skepticism remains among Seattle’s fans, including those that packed the yard for the start of the 48th season of Mariners baseball Thursday. That’s what one playoff series in 23 years and no World Series appearances — ever — does to a fan base.

It’s done it to Joe Cox.

The lifelong M’s fan was standing just outside the stadium’s home-plate entrance about two hours before first pitch.

“I’ve been standing out here with a poll I’ve been doing: “Do you think we are going to be playing in October (in the playoffs), or not?” Cox told The News Tribune. “And it’s about 25 to two ‘yes.’

“But I might be dealing with a skewed audience, I don’t know.

“There’s a lot of us out here lookin’ to see a season that lives up to the reputation (of these, young-gun Mariners),” Cox said.

“I would love to have something to hang my hat on.”

Ichiro Suzuki for Julio Rodriguez. Again.

Suzuki, the retired winner of three Silver Slugger awards for the best offensive player at each position in a season by vote of fellow players and managers, emerged from the Mariners’ dugout on the first-base side of T-Mobile Park about 20 minutes before the first pitch.

He carried a 2023 Silver Slugger trophy to Rodriguez, who was standing at home plate. In just two major league seasons, the 23-year-old superstar outfielder from the Dominican Republic has joined Suzuki among the seven Mariners to have won multiple Silver Slugger awards.

For last season he joined Griffey (seven times), Edgar Martinez (five), Alex Rodriguez (four), Ichiro Suzuki (three), Bret Boone (twice) and Nelson Cruz (twice) as multiple winners of the Silver Slugger.

About a half hour later, Rodriguez slugged silver-ly. He sent a tailing line drive inside the right-field foul line for a double with one out in the first inning.

Rodriguez got to third on a single by debuting Mariner Jorge Polanco, Seattle’s new second baseman and number-three hitter; the Mainers acquired the former All-Star infielder from Minnesota in a winter trade.

Then new designated hitter Mitch Garver hit into an inning-ending double play.

That’s how Seattle stayed scoreless through three innings against Boston starter Brayan Bello.

Felix Hernandez honors Nelson Cruz

The always-affable Cruz also got trident-ed up for this Opening Day.

Hernandez joined the pregame party on the field to help honor Cruz, his former Mariners teammate. Hernandez emerged from the M’s dugout with a huge smile and both arms extended to his sides. He turned to all sides of the stadium. The sold-out crowd of nearly 45,337 roared some more.

Cruz, a seven-time All-Star, led the majors with 119 RBIs in 2017. That was one of his four seasons with Seattle. Now 43 after his 19th and final season in the majors last year, 49 games with San Diego, Cruz threw out the ceremonial first pitch for this Mariners Opening Day.

The retired slugger tossed it backwards first, back between his legs, as a joke. The ball landed behind the mound.

Cruz and Hernandez laughed. Then Cruz stepped in front of the mound and flicked the ball to Hernandez playing catcher behind home plate.

Then Cruz joined Mariners chairman John Stanton, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and Catie Griggs, the team’s president of business operations, behind a podium set up behind home plate. On it, Cruz signed a ceremonial one-day contract to officially retire with the Mariners. Stanton signed it after he did.

Cruz played for eight teams in his big-league career. Yet he said Thursday: “I have always identified myself with the Seattle Mariners. When I was playing here, I felt comfortable playing the game.”

Then, at 7:11 p.m., Mariners ace Luis Castillo threw a 96-mph fastball to Boston center fielder Jarren Duran for a ball.

The six-plus-month, 162-game season was on.

Castillo pitched five innings. He allowed Boston four runs, all earned, on six hits with five strikeouts. When reliever Tayler Saucedo replaced Castillo to begin the sixth inning, Seattle trailed 4-2.

Welcome back, Mitch Haniger

Those two runs came from a welcomed-back blast from Mitch Haniger.

The 33-year-old right fielder was a popular Mariners mainstay from 2017 through that ‘22 playoff season. He spent an injured-plagued 2023 with the San Francisco Giants. They traded him back to Seattle this winter, for injured former Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Robbie Ray.

That’s why Haniger got the second-loudest cheers upon his introduction to the home crowd before Thursday’s game. Only those for Rodriguez were louder.

The noise grew in the bottom of the fourth inning. On his second at-bat of his second Mariners go-round, Haniger sent a fastball from Bello over the right-field wall on a line. The two-run homer briefly cut the Red Sox’ lead to 3-2.

To celebrate his home run in the dugout, Haniger jabbed with a — what else? — trident.