The 2024 MLB season kicked off on Thursday, March 28 with a full slate of action, including the home opener for the Seattle Mariners. The season rang in with the coining of a new promotional hashtag, with #TridentsUp, an homage to the plastic trident used as a home run prop in the M’s dugout, replacing the classic #SeaUsRise from the last few years. 

Opening Day festivities kicked off with confetti dropping on fans entering T-Mobile Park, with many scrambling to grab pieces of the paper as it fell from the sky in hopes of taking home a free and easy souvenir. Once inside the ballpark, on-field activities began roughly 45 minutes before the first pitch. The entire Mariner’s coaching staff was introduced to the fans, before each player on the Opening Day roster made their way down a magenta carpet to take their place in the dugout. Thunderous applause was given to fan favorites like Julio Rodriguez and JP Crawford, as well as returning Mariner Mitch Haniger who made his way back to the Emerald City after a season in San Francisco with the Giants. “I thought the player announcements were awesome, and the first game energy from the fans was great. I also enjoyed seeing the new players for the first time,” Noah Hui said.  

When the pre-game festivities concluded, the Red Sox took to the plate to begin the game. Both Luis Castillo and Brayan Bello tossed two shutout innings, before Rafael Devers’ first homer of the season gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Boston would add another in the fourth, when an errant throw from Josh Rojas nailed Ceddanne Rafaela in the back of the head, allowing the speedster to score without a play at the plate.  

Bello was cruising for Boston, until Mitch Haniger stepped up to the dish in a Mariners uniform for the first time since game three of the 2022 ALDS against the Astros. In true Mitch Haniger fashion, the always clutch slugger blasted a two-out, 372-foot home run to the seats in right field. Haniger’s blast cut the Sox lead to one, before Boston’s Triston Casas reextended the lead with an RBI force out an inning later. 

Ceddanne Rafaela was again the center of attention in the sixth, hustling around the horn for a leadoff triple that just beat the relay from left fielder Dominic Canzone, before making his way home off of a Connor Wong single. His trip around the bases made it a 5-2 ballgame, putting the Mariners’ backs against the wall heading to the bottom of the seventh. That was, until Dylan Moore stepped up.  

Pinch hitting for Canzone, Moore got a hold of a pitch and drove it to center, bringing in Haniger off a two-run shot and again cutting the Red Sox lead to one. Things seemed to be heating up, until Mr. Opening Day, Tyler O’Neill, sunk the Mariners once and for all. With his homer in the top of the eighth, O’Neill made it five consecutive seasons with an Opening Day home run, extending the Red Sox lead to two at 6-4, one they would never relinquish.  

Former Dodger Kenly Jansen closed the game out for Boston, rallying through a leadoff walk to retire the next three M’s and end the ballgame. “I loved the energy the Seattle fans brought on Opening Day. I loved the player intros and how enthusiastic all the fans were. Even though we didn’t get the win it was still a very enjoyable experience,” Ben Williams said. 

The series would go on to be split with Seattle taking the next two before Boston closed out the series with an Easter Sunday win.