A new city, a new team, and a new contract should be a dream, but for Rob Refsnyder, the first weeks of the season saw him stuck in a 0-for-18 drought. Though he has since snapped out of it, the impact has lingered on the veteran hitter, and after the Seattle Mariners swept the Texas Rangers, he opened up about it.

“Yeah, super frustrating, honestly,” Refsnyder noted. “Thankful for my teammates. They are trying to help me through the slump, especially early in the air, new team, new city.”

Refsnyder joined the Seattle Mariners on a one-year, $6.25 million contract signed in December 2025. And while the start of his season didn’t go as planned, during Seattle’s 5-2 victory against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park, Refsnyder registered his first hit of the season. He drove in a solo shot on the very first pitch, thrown by the left-hander MacKenzie Gore.

The right fielder is 1-for-22 in 10 games this season. He has clocked an average of only .045 after hitting 1 homer and 1 RBI. The 35-year-old’s only hit came on Sunday, just days after the birth of his third child, reported The Seattle Times. It was his first start after he was reinstated from the paternity list.

Refsnyder has a slash line of .252/.340/.384 with a .724 OPS in his 11 years of MLB career. Last season, he hit at an average of .269 for the Boston Red Sox, and he will aim to recapture that form this year as well. The right fielder began his MLB career with the New York Yankees in 2015.

After he recorded his leadoff home run, Refsnyder spoke about the support he received from the staff, especially the Mariners’ mental coach, Adam Bernero.

“Definitely been hard on myself,” Refsnyder remarked. “But I’ve had a lot of help. Our mental coach, Bern, has helped me.”

Refsnyder has also credited his teammates, wife, and the fans’ continuous support for his success. He revealed his surprise at finding fans cheering him on during batting practice as well.

“Honestly, I’m human. We hear a lot of things, so just to have the fans’ support, it meant a lot. I’ve been to some places and played in some good places where you get booed at home and things like that, and it definitely wears on you. I think we’re all human,” he stated.

Following the veteran’s short relief from his early-season struggles, one of his teammates has extended his support.

Bryan Woo extends his support to Refsnyder

Rob Refsnyder’s addition brought a veteran presence to the Mariners’ roster. But his hitting slump has been a point of concern for the new club. As Refsnyder opened his hitting with a homer, Mariners starter Bryan Woo spoke about the veteran’s breakthrough. Woo also noted that Refsnyder brings a calming presence to their team, according to The Seattle Times.

“He’s been an incredible guy to add to this team,” Woo said. “He’s blended in with the locker room and the guys so easily already. He brings such a calming veteran presence … so for him to kind of break through a little bit there, I know he’s been hard on himself, so that means a lot. Everybody was stoked to see that.”

Bryan Woo himself had an impressive start against the Texas Rangers on Sunday. The righty took the win, recording 1-2, with a 2.25 ERA after pitching 7.0 innings. Woo gave up 4 hits, 2 earned runs, and 1 walk while striking out 6.

The two runs Woo surrendered came in the final inning of his pitching during the Mariners’ 5-2 victory, and he was not happy about it.

“You give up the two there, and then it’s like, the at-bats for the next inning for Gabe are just more stressful,” Woo reportedly stated. “And there’s no need for that if I just do my job. So, yeah, I’m still beating myself up over it.”

The 26-year-old starter has posted an ERA of 3.14 across 75 starts with 418 strikeouts so far in his career.

Now back on track, the Mariners veteran is looking ahead with renewed confidence, determined to turn a difficult stretch into a stepping stone for the rest of the season.