Kade Anderson Had “A Blast” In His Major League Debut With The Seattle Mariners On Saturday

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

Former LSU pitcher Kade Anderson gave up two home runs to the Chicago Cubs and left the game in the sixth inning Saturday night in Seattle. But he enjoyed just about everything about his first day as a Major League Baseball player with the Seattle Mariners.

“It was obviously a really cool opportunity,” the left-hander from Madisonville and St. Paul’s High said after the game. “Forever grateful for this opportunity. It was special.”

Kade Anderson’s opening statement in his first @Mariners postgame press conference.#TridentsUp #SeattleMariners pic.twitter.com/mZGcVwkPGZ

— Circling Seattle Sports (@CirclingSports) August 23, 2026

Anderson, a consensus All-American at LSU in 2025 and the Baseball America National Pitcher of the Year, won the College World Series MVP award in leading the Tigers to the national title in the ’25 season. He finished 12-1 with a 3.18 ERA and a nation-leading 180 strikeouts.

Former LSU Baseball Ace Kade Anderson Was Rolling In Major League Debut … Then Alex Bregman Stepped Up

On Saturday, he limited the Cubs to three runs on five hits and two walks in five and two-thirds innings while striking out five in a no-decision that the Mariners won, 5-4, on a walk-off home run by Randy Arozarena. Anderson left the game after allowing home runs to former LSU star Alex Bregman and Michael Busch in the sixth to fall behind, 3-2.

“Glad I got to come in yesterday and get my feet wet a little bit,” he said. “It felt more comfortable. It was just a blast out there, and the way the game finished was truly, really cool.”

A special moment for the Anderson crew 🥹 pic.twitter.com/HYhOyl5wQL

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 23, 2026

The Mariners may have entered play Sunday six games under .500 at 62-68, but they are in the playoff chase as they were just three games behind leading Houston in the American League West and are in the Wild Card hunt.

“The team was counting on me for a big game today,” Anderson said. “These games matter, especially when the season is getting shorter and shorter. These games matter. I understood that going in. Obviously, it’s a big day for me, but it’s an even bigger day for this organization. So just going out there and giving the team a chance to win is all that matters.”

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Anderson got used to pitching in big games at LSU. He started and won the opener of the national championship, best-of-three series in 2025 for LSU before becoming the third pick of the first round by Seattle.

“I’ve had the opportunity to pitch in some pretty big games, and I used those games to help me through this one,” Anderson said. “Obviously, there’s going to be some jitters, but I feel like I controlled them pretty well and got through those pretty quick.”

Anderson threw 81 pitches with 53 for strikes Saturday after going 10-1 with a 1.06 ERA in 18 starts for the Double-A Arkansas Travelers in Little Rock this season. He struck out 135 and walked 13 in 93 and a third innings, allowing just 47 hits and 11 runs for Arkansas.

“It’s just another game,” Anderson said. “And I feel like when you have that mindset, it clearly just calms the nerves a little bit.”