SEATTLE — When the Seattle Mariners named Logan Gilbert the Opening Day starter ahead of the 2025 season, a common thought was stated from both Gilbert and manager Dan Wilson: anyone on the rotation could be an Opening Day Starter - or an ace.

The Mariners rotation wasn't able to validate those thoughts last season. Gilbert, Bryan Woo, George Kirby and Bryce Miller all missed varying amounts of time due to injury. Gilbert, Miller and Kirby had four stints on the injured list between the three of them.

This season, that belief that Seattle has a rotation full of aces is starting to hold a lot more weight.

After Sunday's 5-2 win against the Texas Rangers, the Mariners have 13 quality starts through 23 games. That mark leads the major leagues.

Woo was the latest, as he struck out six hitters, walked one, hit another and allowed two earned runs on four hits in seven innings pitched.

Seattle's rotation has never needed extra motivation to put in the work or to perform. But this offseason, coming off the injury-plagued year, there was a noticeable added level of motivation.

Multiple Mariners starters, including Gilbert and Woo, declined invites to compete for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, opting instead to focus on putting together an entire spring in preparation for this season.

In addition to making that decision, the rotation has had a refined mental focus and so far it's yielded great results.

Woo has a 2.25 ERA and has struck out 26 batters in 32 innings pitched across five starts; Kirby has a 2.97 ERA and has fanned 27 hitters in 33.1 innings pitched across five appearances; Emerson Hancock (who began the year with the rotation due to an injury to Miller) has a 2.28 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched across four starts; Gilbert has posted a 4.03 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 29 innings across five starts and Luis Castillo has a 5.40 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 18.1 innings pitched across four starts.

Miller begun the year on the 15-day IL due to a left oblique strain. He just began a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.

As has been with the rotation since its current inception, there is a collective goal to improve and be the best version of itself, but the individual push to get better is still there.

Kirby has talked about pitching more confidently and free when there's runners on-base, or after he commits a mistake compared to previous seasons.

The anger is still there according to him but he's learned to channel it more effectively.

"It's still in there," Kirby said after his start against Texas on Saturday. "I walked two guys (Saturday) I'm not very happy about it. But I'm using it in just a different way. ... Use the anger as a weapon instead of something that would kind of hold me back the last couple years. Kind of use it more as fuel and it's been feeling a lot better. You just gather your breath or take a couple fast, quick exhales. Get yourself going. Get your body right for the moment you're in. ... The more I can use the anger to my favor, the better."

Kirby isn't the only hurler on the rotation who's taken ownership in efforts of self-improving.

Woo, who was the only starter on the team to make the All-Star Game in 2025 and leads the rotation in individual quality starts, has taken responsibility for several of the team's losses this season — even when he's not on the mound.

That self-criticism is a result of the high standards he has for himself. And every time Woo sets the bar higher for himself, he tends to meet it.

Whether it's Woo, Kirby, Gilbert or another member of the rotation, all five have shown capabilities at various points over the last two seasons at being able to meet the moment.

A "rotation filled with aces" might seem like hyperbole, but 23 games into the season, it's a descriptor that's hard to debate.

Remember to join our MARINERS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Mariners fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!