Dad strength: Mariners’ Refsnyder breaks slump with leadoff HR

Perhaps Rob Refsnyder just needed a little dad strength.

Two days after returning from the paternity list, Refsnyder broke out of a season-opening 0-for-18 slump with a first-pitch leadoff home run in the Seattle Mariners’ series rubber match against the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon.

Facing All-Star left-hander MacKenzie Gore in the bottom of the first inning, Refsnyder jumped on a fastball up in the zone and pulled it over the left-field fence at T-Mobile Park to give Seattle an early 1-0 lead.

The Mariners signed the 35-year-old Refsnyder in December as a proven right-handed platoon bat. He’s been one of MLB’s best hitters against left-handed pitching in recent years, slashing .312/.407/.516 in 501 plate appearances against southpaws from 2022-25.

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