For the first time since 2023, Eugenio Suárez is in the Seattle Mariners lineup. And it’s a lineup that suddenly looks very different after a big trade deadline.
Drayer: What adding Eugenio Suárez means for Mariners’ offense
On the same day the Mariners officially announced their trade for the two-time All-Star, Suárez is playing third base and hitting fifth for Seattle in Thursday’s 6:40 p.m. series opener against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park.
The big news, however, may be that left fielder Randy Arozarena is the new leadoff man, with shortstop J.P. Crawford dropped to eighth in the order. And there’s also the fact that MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh has been bumped up to the No. 2 spot, swapping places with Thursday’s No. 3 hitter, Julio Rodríguez.
Before Suárez in the order is Seattle’s other key trade addition from Arizona in the last week, first baseman Josh Naylor, who is hitting cleanup.
Rounding the lineup out against Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (4-4, 5.73 ERA, 1.44 WHIP) is Jorge Polanco hitting sixth as the designated hitter, right fielder Dominic Canzone hitting seventh, and rookie second baseman Cole Young hitting ninth.
Here’s the full Mariners lineup:
Tonight’s lineup is here 👀
See you at the ballpark 👉 https://t.co/LLiVB3TpEy pic.twitter.com/o0iU3Flkfp
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) July 31, 2025
Suárez, who spent 2022 and 2023 with the Mariners, adds plenty of thunder to the middle of Seattle’s lineup. He ranks fifth in MLB with 36 home runs and is tied for the lead in RBIs at 87. The person tied with Suárez for the most RBIs is Raleigh. That’s some serious potential for run production.
Something else that stands out with this lineup is how much longer and more potent it looks after the additions of Suárez and Naylor. The first five hitters to go to the plate for the M’s will all have been an All-Star at least once since 2024, and the stretch from six through nine has a lot going for it, as well. Polanco has 17 homers this year and Crawford is 13th in the American League with a .361 on-base percentage, while Canzone has an .811 OPS in 42 games this season and Young has an .809 OPS over his last 14 contests.
Seattle will have George Kirby (5-5, 4.50 ERA, 1.15 WHIP) starting on the mound. As pointed out by Rangers broadcaster Jared Sandler, Kirby has been historically good in his career against Texas.
The Rangers will try and prevent George Kirby from becoming the first pitcher since Barry Zito (11-0, 2000-2003) to win his first eight decisions against them.
Kirby is 7-0 with a 1.15 ERA over 9 career starts vs TEX
— Jared Sandler (@JaredSandler) July 31, 2025
Here’s the Rangers’ lineup against Kirby, which includes former Mariners first baseman Rowdy Tellez hitting eighth in his return to Seattle:
BRAKING: Tonight’s Lineup. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/T8gKCTCHWH
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 31, 2025
The Mariners and Rangers enter the four-game series tied at 57-52 for the third and final wild card from the American League to the postseason. They’re also five games back of a banged-up Houston Astros team for first place in the AL West.
Seattle Sports radio coverage of Thursday’s Mariners-Rangers game begins at 5:30 p.m. with the pregame show.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• National insiders agree Mariners’ Geno trade is a home run
• Eugenio Suárez surprised M’s by catching team flight to Seattle
• Mariners trade with Pirates for lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson
• Passan: How Josh Naylor gives the Mariners an edge
• Seattle Mariners’ Naylor addition looks great in surprising ways
