ARLINGTON -- New general manager Jerry Dipoto's search for talent has led to an interesting mix, as the Mariners have more foreign-born players than any other club in the Major Leagues on their 25-man roster and disabled list to open the season.
The Mariners have 13 players from five countries and territories outside the United States. Across the Majors, 27.5 percent of the 864 players on 25-man rosters and disabled lists are foreign born, according to Major League Baseball.
The Royals are second to the Mariners with 11 foreign players, followed by the Braves, Dodgers, Mets and Yankees with 10 each.
There are 82 players in the Majors from the Dominican Republic, 63 from Venezuela, 23 from Cuba, 17 from Puerto Rico, 12 from Mexico, eight from Japan and South Korea and six from Canada, with 10 other countries also represented.
On the Mariners' roster, Leonys Martin is from Cuba; Joaquin Benoit, Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, Ketel Marte and Joel Peralta are from the Dominican; Norichika Aoki and Hisashi Iwakuma hail from Japan; Dae-Ho Lee is from South Korea; and Felix Hernandez, Franklin Gutierrez, Luis Sardinas and Jesus Sucre (60-day DL) are from Venezuela.
Worth noting
• Hall of Fame-bound Ken Griffey Jr. will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Friday's home opener at Safeco Field as part of the pregame ceremonies for the 7:10 p.m. PT game against the A's.
• Cano's home run in his first at-bat on Monday was the first Opening Day home run of his career.
• When the Mariners lost, 3-2, to the Rangers on Monday, it was the first time they'd lost in the 23 games in club history in which their pitchers allowed one or fewer hits. Since 1913, it was the first time a Major League team lost a one-hitter on Opening Day.