Logan Gilbert Earns Opening Day Start For First Time in Career
PEORIA, Ariz. — The Seattle Mariners opening day starter has been decided.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson announced in a news conference Saturday morning that 2024 All-Star Logan Gilbert will start the first game of the season. That's against the Athletics on March 27 at T-Mobile Park.
"We did have a chance to figure that out yesterday," Wilson said. "Logan Gilbert will be our opening day starter this year. Very tough decision, but Logan certainly deserves it. And we are certainly excited about that. And looking forward to getting started here on (March 27) less than two weeks away."
Gilbert made his first All-Star game in 2024 and led Seattle in games started, innings pitched and strikeouts. He finished the year with a 3.23 ERA with 220 strikeouts in 208.2 innings pitched across 33 starts. He led the league with a 0.89 WHIP.
Logan Gilbert's Splitters are unfair. pic.twitter.com/N7jDc7DImm
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 19, 2024
Gilbert had a positive reaction after he was told the news that he would start opening day.
"Big smile," Wilson said. "It was a big smile. It was a great moment to see that and I think he is excited about the opportunity. And what a great year he had. And Luis Castillo has carried that torch, deservedly so, over the last few years and makes it a difficult decision. But the way Luis has handled it is awesome. He is a true professional. And he has poured a lot into these young pitchers over the course of the last couple years. So I think he can feel proud, as well."
Castillo has been the opening day starter the last two seasons. He was excited for Gilbert to get the opportunity, according to Wilson.
The Mariners are still determining how the starting rotation will fall after Gilbert. But there's no more debate about who the ace of the staff is.
"It's obviously a decision you don't go into lightly," Wilson said. "So you take a lot into it. A lot of consideration. We all talk about it. And that's what we came up with as a staff. These decisions are multi-faceted. And you think about it, and you sit on it and at the end of the day, this is what we felt (was right)."
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