Mariners Get Encouraging Andrés Muñoz Return After World Baseball Classic

Andrés Muñoz returned to Mariners camp looking like the same late-inning monster Seattle needed to see. After a brief World Baseball Classic run with Team Mexico, he was sharp right away, which is about the best possible outcome the Mariners could have asked for this late in camp.

That matters more than it should this early, because Muñoz is undoubtedly the Mariners late inning answer. He is the bullpen. When Muñoz is right, the entire structure of the staff makes more sense

And coming off what was easily the best season of his career, there is real weight behind that confidence.

Andrés Muñoz strikes out the side in his return from the WBC! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/DkcAAN63NB
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) March 15, 2026

Andrés Muñoz Returns To Camp Looking Like Mariners’ Same Late-Inning Force

Muñoz was incredible in 2025. Converted 38 of 45 save chances, posted a 1.73 ERA, logged a 1.03 WHIP, and struck out 83 batters in 62 1/3 innings. He finished third in Major League Baseball in saves, earned an All-Star nod, and proved that he belongs in the conversation with the game’s elite late-inning weapons.

What stands out most with Muñoz is that it never looks comfortable for hitters, even when they know exactly what is coming. The slider remains a complete nightmare, and the fastball has the kind of life that makes even routine sequences feel violent. The whole thing looks explosive, like every pitch is thrown with bad intentions.

That’s why seeing him return from WBC action without any visible drop-off is such a positive sign for Seattle. Yes, he allowed a run in two innings with Team Mexico. Nobody should care much about that. The larger point is that he got through the event, returned to camp, and still looked like Andrés Muñoz.

And honestly, the Mariners need that stability. There is always plenty of attention on the rotation, the lineup depth, the young and upcoming bats, and whatever spring battle is eating up headlines that week. But teams with postseason ambitions do not survive on intrigue alone. They survive on bankable strengths. Muñoz is one of Seattle’s clearest ones.

If the Mariners are going to be the kind of team they believe they can be in 2026, they need their stars to look like stars. Julio Rodríguez has to be Julio. Cal Raleigh has to anchor everything again. A full season with Josh Naylor should inflate RISP. And Muñoz has to keep turning the final three outs into a miserable experience for everyone else.

His return to camp was a small spring development on the surface. For the Mariners, it felt a lot bigger than that heading towards Opening Day.