In earning the Opening Day starter nod, Logan Gilbert rightfully was recognized this spring as the best starter on the Seattle Mariners. No mean feat, but 200+ innings of excellence will do that. On the first night of the 2025 campaign, the 6’6 slinger looked like his best self. 7.0 innings pitched, two hits, just the one run on his only real mistake, a punished slider to Tyler Soderstrom in the heart of the zone. Eight strikeouts without a single walk, with 16 whiffs on 47 swings, taking just 83 pitches. Brilliance, and brilliance that relied most heavily on a particular pitch that’s continued to evolve: his splitfinger changeup.
Split non-fiction: Logan Gilbert’s first gem starred his best pitch
