PEORIA, Ariz. - The Seattle Mariners opened up the Cactus League season with a 7-4 win over the San Diego Padres in front of a record-setting crowd at the Peoria Sports Complex on Friday afternoon. 

There were plenty of solid takeaways from the win, including the standout performances of Michael Arroyo and Cooper Criswell, but there was also something else positive that stood out to manager Dan Wilson: The impactful return of Luke Raley.

After battling through injuries and ineffectiveness in 2025, the slugger went 2-for-2 in the spring opener. He led off, played center field and laced a single to start the game off a left-hander, something that's been problematic for him in his career thus far.

"Yeah, ​I ​think ​that ​was ​one ​of ​the ​highlights ​for ​me ​is ​just ​seeing ​him ​come ​out ​of ​the ​shoot ​yesterday, ​hit ​a ​rocket and ​get ​things ​going ​for ​him,' Wilson said on Saturday morning. '​​All ​the ​stuff ​that ​he ​battled ​through ​last ​year, ​the ​injuries ​and ​stuff, ​a ​tough ​year ​from ​that ​standpoint, ​and ​for ​him ​to ​put ​the ​work ​in ​that ​he ​did ​this ​off​season ​to ​get ​healthy ​and ​then ​come ​out ​there ​and ​do ​that ​is ​awesome. ​And ​I ​know ​that he ​can ​have ​a ​huge ​impact ​for ​us. ​This ​is ​a ​big ​impact ​bat ​and ​I ​think ​as ​he ​continues ​to ​go ​through ​spring ​here, ​I'm ​excited ​to ​see ​​just ​all ​that ​confidence ​come ​back ​for ​him ​and ​we ​talk ​about ​completing ​the ​lineup: He ​can ​be ​a ​big ​part ​of ​that ​and ​it's ​exciting ​to ​see ​that ​start ​from ​him ​yesterday."

Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays before the 2024 season, Raley hit 22 home runs in his first season with the Mariners, proving to be the impact bat that Wilson mentioned. However, in 2025, he hit just .202 with four home runs and 19 RBIs. While he made the American League Division Series roster, he was left off the American League Championship Series roster as the M's battled to Game 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Heading into the season, Raley figures to form a right field and designated hitter platoon with Dominic Canzone, but Wilson also highlighted his ability to be versatile and play all three outfield positions. There's a chance that he could appear in games at first base, though it doesn't sound like it's in the plans as much in the new campaign.

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