Every year we talk about this, and every year my answer remains the same.

Everyone who says that spring training results "don't matter," are wrong.

Spring training results don't matter for some people, but for some people? Spring training results matter quite a bit.

And for two members of the Seattle Mariners, I think the numbers put up this spring are actually quite significant.

Let's dive in.

Signed to a minor league deal in late-February, I was in favor of the Mariners bringing Garver back in 2026. Sure, his offensive numbers from 2024 and 2025 weren't particularly strong, but he's a veteran presence who understands the clubhouse culture, knows the pitching staff and has the ability to run into some power.

At a discounted pice of $2.25 million if he makes the major league roster, the money is right to match the possible productivity as well.

However, the team gave Andrew Knizner a guaranteed $1 million deal, meaning that Garver needed to outplay him this spring in order to win the backup catcher job.

Thus far? Garver is 2-for-19 (.105) with no homers and no RBIs. He got a late start to camp because of his late signing, but he could be looking at the end of his road in Seattle unless things turn around drastically in the next few days.

He does have an opt-out in his contract, though it's unclear exactly what the date is that triggers it.

The outfielder was excellent in 2024, which earned him a two-year extension toward the end of that season. He hit .328 with the Mariners in 77 games that year, also stealing 30 bases. He was a spark plug at the top of the lineup and on the bases, but his 2025 was essentially a lost year.

He injured his shoulder early in April and played only 32 games in total, coming back at the end after his injury and a suspension for an ugly incident in Triple-A. He hit just .245 with one home run and six stolen bases.

The Mariners are paying him $5 million, so his roster spot seems secure at the beginning of the season, but his .086 batting average this spring is tough to look at.

He figures to play against left-handed pitching along with Rob Refsnyder, but if he struggles, the team could eat the money and elect to move on. After all, they dropped Mitch Haniger last season, and he was making three times as much.

Opening Day is set for March 26 against the Cleveland Guardians.

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