Donovan begins Mariners career in style with leadoff HR

Leadoff hitter Brendan Donovan began his Seattle Mariners career in style.

And he made some history in the process.

Mariners unveil AL West champions banner

In the bottom of the first inning of Seattle’s 2026 season opener on Thursday night, Donovan turned on a 3-1 fastball from Guardians Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee and pulled it into the right-field seats at T-Mobile Park for a 353-foot leadoff home run.

It was the first opening-day leadoff homer in Mariners history.

The Mariners acquired the 25-year-old Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-team trade in February.

Donovan was a first-time All-Star with St. Louis last season, slashing  .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs, 32 doubles and a .775 OPS in 118 games. Among qualified National League hitters, he ranked ninth in batting average and 17th in on-base percentage. He also won a Gold Glove Award as utility player in 2022.

Donovan had a strong spring, batting .413 with one homer, three doubles and a 1.034 OPS in 46 Cactus League at-bats.

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Seattle Mariners honor legends with opening day’s first pitch
• Randy Arozarena breaks Mariners’ odd opening day streak
• Mariners’ Dipoto confident about Rivas, Hancock filling in
• Mariners GM: When J.P. Crawford, Bryce Miller could be back
• Everywhere to find Seattle Mariners TV and radio broadcasts this season

Related

The ‘huge ceiling’ of M’s prospect Lazaro Montes is about more than his powerMariners’ playoff hopes alive and well thanks to their play vs AstrosThe AL playoff race is messy – and could be lots of funRaleigh, Arozarena homer as Mariners beat Astros 3-2Tommy John, namesake for pioneering elbow surgery, dies at 83Morosi on Mariners’ Colt Emerson: ‘The book is not closed’