Mariners Stars Struggle After World Baseball Classic

Participation in international tournament may have impacted early-season performance

Apr. 2, 2026 at 11:32pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented baseball game, with sharp planes of navy blue, teal, silver, red, white, and blue colors representing the Mariners and Dominican Republic national team.The World Baseball Classic's impact on the Mariners' early-season performance is a fractured, multi-dimensional puzzle.Seattle Today

Several key players for the Seattle Mariners, including stars Julio Rodríguez and Eugenio Suárez, have gotten off to slow starts this season after representing their home countries in the World Baseball Classic during spring training. While the players say the experience was valuable, there are concerns that the extra games and travel may have disrupted their preparation for the MLB regular season.

Why it matters

The Mariners are expected to be a contender in the American League West this year, so any slow starts from their top players could significantly impact their chances of making the playoffs. The team and fans will be closely watching to see if these players can turn things around as the season progresses.

The details

Mariners stars Julio Rodríguez and Eugenio Suárez both played in the World Baseball Classic in March, representing the Dominican Republic and Venezuela respectively. Through the first few weeks of the MLB season, both players have struggled at the plate, with Rodríguez batting just .214 and Suárez hitting .167. Other Mariners who participated in the WBC, such as Ty France and Andrés Muñoz, have also gotten off to slow starts.

  • The World Baseball Classic took place in March 2023.
  • The 2023 MLB regular season began on March 30, 2023.

The players

Julio Rodríguez

All-Star outfielder for the Seattle Mariners.

Eugenio Suárez

All-Star third baseman for the Seattle Mariners.

Ty France

All-Star first baseman for the Seattle Mariners.

Andrés Muñoz

Relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners.

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What they’re saying

“It's still early. I'm not worried about it.”

— Julio Rodríguez, Mariners Outfielder

The takeaway

The Mariners will be closely monitoring the performance of their star players who participated in the World Baseball Classic, hoping they can shake off their slow starts and regain their All-Star form as the season progresses. The team's postseason hopes may hinge on whether these players can bounce back from the extra workload of the international tournament.