Mariners Lineup: Opening day features Haniger leading off, Trammell in CF

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Seattle’s opening night game in front of a T-Mobile Park crowd against the San Francisco Giants is set for 7:10 p.m. (airing live on 710 ESPN Seattle beginning with the pregame show at 6), and we have the first M’s lineup of the year.

Mariners lineup

Mitch Haniger, RF
Ty France, DH
Kyle Seager, 3B
Evan White, 1B
Taylor Trammell, CF
Dylan Moore, 2B
Jake Fraley, LF
Tom Murphy, C
J.P. Crawford, SS

Marco Gonzales, SP

yes pic.twitter.com/eKqC0qzOZa

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 1, 2021

Let’s break down the most notable details.

First up, with center fielder and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis on the 10-day injured list with a bone bruise in his right knee to begin the season, spring training standout Taylor Trammell will make his MLB debut by roaming center in Seattle’s friendly confines. Trammell is expected to be Seattle’s usual left fielder this season, so with him shifted over to center, Jake Fraley will take over in left. Though Fraley had a tough start to Cactus League play in Arizona, he finished the exhibition season strong, registering a hit in eight of his last 11 games, including a trio of 2-for-3 efforts.

Mitch Haniger’s first MLB game in roughly a year and a half will feature him back in the leadoff spot, which is a role manager Scott Servais has grown to liking him in during his time in Seattle. Following him up in the order will be designated hitter Ty France, with third baseman Kyle Seager moving up to the No. 3 position with Lewis out and first baseman Evan White hitting cleanup as a result.

Marco Gonzales, who had an All-Star-caliber season in 2020, will make his third straight opening day start for the Mariners on the mound.

The Giants are starting Kevin Gausman in the rare interleague opener.

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More Mariners season previews from 710Sports.com

• Drayer’s M’s Preview: Mix of youth and vets in harmony and on a mission
• Mariners’ opening day roster: Lewis to IL, Kikuchi gets Game 2
• Mariners Table Setter: Three X-factors for this season
• Which Mariners player is most likely to have a bounce back season?
• Drayer: Gonzales vows Mariners are ‘prepared to make a statement’
• Groz: Why this is the most important Mariners season of the last decade
• M’s haul from Padres, led by Trammell and France, may speed up rebuild
• Kelenic won’t make roster but focused on getting call ‘as soon as possible’
• Mitch Haniger is back in form, and he’s leading not just by example

Follow @BrentStecker