Mariners Notebook: A bet lost, new face in camp and more

PEORIA, Ariz. – Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson was easy to find Friday morning, both in and outside the team’s spring training complex, as he was decked out in red.

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No, it wasn’t a no-contact jersey the skipper was wearing; rather, a Wayne Gretzky Team Canada jersey that prompted the response “Did you lose a bet?” from many.

The answer was yes, of course, as Wilson was on the wrong end of a bet on Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between Canada and the USA that he made with first base coach Lou Boyd, minor league field coordinator Luke Carlin and base running coach Michael Saunders – all Canadians.

Had Team USA won, the trio would have had to sing the National Anthem in the clubhouse.

“They’ve been spared that,” Wilson said with a laugh. “It was a great game. Awesome.”

A bet's a bet.

Dan Wilson made a friendly wager with some friends from Canada and well… 😅 pic.twitter.com/NRH7rFe9M0

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) February 21, 2025

Perhaps if it had been later in the spring, Thursday’s championship game would have been further dissected. But there were other things on Wilson’s mind Thursday morning as the Mariners were just hours away from Game 1 of spring training, the next step in the process of getting ready to play 162 (and perhaps more) games.

For Wilson, it is not just about the team staying healthy and getting their legs under them over the next month, but getting ready to play the kind of baseball he expects.

“You have to build your body up,” he said. “You have to build your mind up and get ready to play in those games. We play a lot of games that are decided in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth inning. And that’s where you’ve got to be at your best so you have to have the at-bats, you have to have the capacity in your legs to be ready to do those those things late in the game. That’s the idea behind it.”

The veterans will get what they need in terms of playing time in camp, but there will be ample opportunity for the young players to get looks and experience as well with many eyes on them as they get closer to the big leagues.

“These are kids that have have gotten through the minor leagues pretty quickly and have progressed pretty steadily. And they’re they’re getting close,” Wilson said. “This is an opportunity for them to show what they can do and to show how far they’ve come.

“Those guys will certainly get opportunities, and you make an impression here by not not just the results that you can have but how you approach the game, how you mentally show that you’re ready to play at this level. How you compete. These are the things you look for on the sidelines and that’s what we’re looking for with these guys.”

Spring training notes

• Wilson is not just a casual hockey fan by any means. Growing up in Barrington, Ill., he played through high school and had his fandom further solidified in his college years at Minnesota.

“I loved playing it, and to watch that college team, it’s a sport that gets into your blood and gets under your skin,” he said. “I loved my experience with it and watching the (4 Nations) game last night was awesome.”

Wilson sees plenty of similarities between hockey and what he did for 14 years in the big league, catching.

“As a goaltender, your mind says keep everything in front of you. Similar to what it is as a catcher – everything in front,” he said. “You know, blocking home plate is very similar to kind of making a kick save in a way. So it was I think for me super beneficial to be able to have the experience of playing hockey and playing baseball. I think the two of them complemented each other very well. And it was a lot of fun.”

• There was a new face in the clubhouse Friday morning as Rowdy Tellez took his physical, signed his contract and then got right to work taking batting practice with the last group. Tellez, who is in camp on a minor league deal, will have the opportunity to compete for one of the final roster spots getting at-bats at DH or first base, and he has good familiarity with the team.

“I’ve played with Trent Thornton and came up with Casey Lawrence (with the Toronto Blue Jays). Me and J.P. Crawford, community college together,” Tellez listed. “Then just playing against a lot of these guys for years and years, you get to talk to them at first base. There’s not too much of an uncomfortable feeling when you get here. You are just trying to learn the lay of the land and schedules. Most of these guys I’ve played against for a long time so it’s good to see them.”

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• This was a fantastic sight.

Brash. pic.twitter.com/NHoJUpbp0b

— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) February 21, 2025

Matt Brash looked very comfortable throwing off the mound Friday morning as he continues his comeback from elbow surgery. The hope for the Canadian right-handed reliever is to remain on track for a late April return.

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• The Mariners fell 5-2 to the Padres in their Cactus League opener Friday afternoon. Samad Taylor had the biggest highlight with the first homer of the spring for the M’s.

• The Mariners will hit the road Saturday to take on the Angels at 12:10 p.m. in Tempe, Ariz. Prospect Logan Evans will get the start on the mound with relievers Carlos Vargas, Casey Lawrence, Neftalí Féliz and Hagen Danner on the travel roster.

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