Seattle Mariners designated hitter Ken Griffey Jr. (24) against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park in 2009. Andrew Weber-Imagn Images

Seattle Mariners Superstar Ken Griffey Jr. Was Historically Good on Opening Day

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Mar 27, 2025 3:15 PM ET

The Seattle Mariners open up the 2025 regular season on Thursday night against the Athletics in an American League West showdown.

The Mariners finished 85-77 last season, good enough for second, while the A's finished in fourth. Both teams missed the playoffs.

As the M's get set for the new season, there's plenty to pay attention to: Can the great starting pitching continue to dominate in 2025? How will Cal Raleigh play following his $105 million contract extension? And can Julio Rodriguez be more consistent and deliver the kind of season we saw in 2023 again?

But while we all try to predict the future, it's worth taking a quick look at Mariners history, where we are reminded just how good Ken Griffey Jr. was on Opening Day throughout his career.

Per MLB Network on social media:

Ken Griffey Jr. left the yard for his 8th career #OpeningDay home run in his return to the Mariners' lineup in 2009

The Kid's 8 career HR on Opening Day is tied for the MLB record.

Ken Griffey Jr. left the yard for his 8th career #OpeningDay home run in his return to the Mariners' lineup in 2009 ‼️

The Kid's 8 career HR on Opening Day is tied for the MLB record. pic.twitter.com/yq0RzuR42g
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 26, 2025

Now, Griffey was great just about every day that he took the field, but he did always excel when the lights were the brightest. In total, Junior played 22 years with the Mariners, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox. One of the greatest players to ever play the game, he hit 630 home runs and earned 13 All-Star selections. He was also an MVP winner and a 10-time Gold Glover.

He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. He is one of two players to enter the Hall of Fame as a Mariner (Edgar Martinez), but he'll get company this summer when Ichiro Suzuki goes into Cooperstown.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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