Mariners' Leo Rivas Couldn't Have Asked for a Better Birthday Gift
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They say good things are worth waiting for. And in the case of the Seattle Mariners' Leo Rivas, that statement couldn't possibly be any more true. For the 28-year-old infielder, his first chance in the postseason spotlight turned out to be one huge gift on a very important day.
Rivas, who toiled in the minors for almost ten years before making it to Major League Baseball in 2024, delivered a clutch pinch-hit to tie the game in the seventh inning of the team's series-clinching game five. The hit and RBI came at a time when the Mariners had been shut down for several innings, and the overall outlook in Seattle was bleak. It not only re-energized his team, but the fans in attendance at T-Mobile Park, as well.
Leo Rivas' best birthday ever 🥳
— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2025
Source: Leo Rivas pic.twitter.com/mBrRXCdKwM
The icing on the cake is that it was actually Rivas' birthday, and he couldn't have asked for a bigger, more beautiful gift than delivering like a hero when the outcome of the game - and the season - was on the line.
“I gotta be honest with you: Today is my birthday," Rivas said in his postgame interview. "When I woke up today, I said, ‘Today is going to be a great day.’”
It's Been a Long Journey for Leo Rivas
Rivas was originally signed out of his native Venezuela by the Los Angeles Angels in 2014, when he was just 17 years old. In 2020, he was shipped to the Cincinnati Reds in a deal where he was the player to be named later. After treading water in that organization, he was then signed by the Seattle Mariners in 2023 as a minor league free agent.
He would debut at the Major League level in 2024, and after several times shuttling back and forth to Triple-A, he finally stuck with the big club. Rivas batted .233 in his first campaign, and followed it up with a .244 average, two home runs, 20 RBI, and six stolen bases in 48 games played.
Leo Rivas played 9 seasons in Minor League Baseball before making his MLB debut last year.
— MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2025
He came through in a big spot tonight, and his @Mariners teammates gave him the best birthday present ever: an ALCS berth 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ezsAcOUJKA
After taking so long to finally get to his magical moment, Rivas was gracious and explained that whether he's starting or coming off the bench, he always wants to stay prepared for whatever comes next. Most of all? He's grateful to be where he is right now - playing for one of the hottest teams in baseball as they advance to the American League Championship Series.
"It's been a journey, like you say, you know?" Rivas acknowledged after the Game 5 victory. "Just every day, I take it as a new day here, just as my debut. So I just prepare for any situation, and thank God I just did it today."
