Donovan's first Mariners at-bat ends in historic home run debut

Brendan Donovan registered a historic feat for Mariners at-bat ends in a milestone leadoff home run that send T-Mobile Park crowd into a frenzy.

The Guardians beat the Mariners 6-4 on Thursday buzzing night, March 26, 2026 with Donovan’s home run marking the first time a Mariners player hit a leadoff home run on opening day in the franchise history.

Donovan jumped on a 94.6 mph fastball at the top of the zone in a 3-1 count and yanked it 353 feet and just inside the right-field foul pole, making it a 1-1 ballgame in the first inning.

Seattle responded in the bottom of the first after Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter, who homered in his first career at-bat in the top of the inning, and became the fifth player in Guardians franchise history to do so.

For context, the Mariners added the former All-Star in a February trade with the Cardinals.

Donovan continued to have one of the most impressive springs in Mariners camp, going 19-for-46 (.413) while playing each of his 17 games at the hot corner, the position that he has evolved into full-time.

Seattle’s decision makers had been chasing Donovan for a while before finally adding him on February 2, as part of a three-team trade that also included Tampa Bay.