Arlington Martin’s Nathan Karns treasures ‘home’ opener
Somehow Nathan Karns never made it to an Opening Day game in Arlington. Despite growing up there and attending Martin High School, the right-hander who pitches for the Seattle Mariners never saw the Texas Rangers open the season.
Not until, that is, the Mariners opened the season in Arlington did Karns get to see all the pageantry and fanfare of Opening Day at Globe Life Park.
I know for a lot friends and family and people I went to high school with, it’s normally a tradition for them to be there for Opening Day. It was nice for it to be my first, but also to be on the field at the same time.
Mariners starter Nate Karns
“It was very memorable, very special for my family,” Karns said. “It was kind of full circle going to high school just down the road. It was a nice day for me.”
Karns pitched for the first time at Globe Life Park on Aug. 14 when he started for the Tampa Bay Rays. He was traded with two other players to the Mariners in November. He went 7-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 26 starts for the Rays last season, his first full season in the majors. His season was cut short in September because of forearm tightness.
He earned the Mariners’ fifth starter’s job this spring and started Saturday night’s game against the Athletics.
Now that he’s in the same division as the Rangers, he’ll have more chances to pitch back in his hometown.
“I know a lot of friends and family and people I went to high school with, it’s normally a tradition for them to be there for Opening Day,” he said. “It was nice for it to be my first, but also to be on the field at the same time.”
Hometown notables
▪ Rockies shortstop Trevor Story (Irving) became the first player to hit homers in his first four major league games, including two in his debut on Opening Day. He had six homers in his four games.
▪ Giants outfielder Hunter Pence (Arlington, UT Arlington) hit a grand slam Thursday.
▪ Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (TCU) held the Angels scoreless on two hits over seven innings to earn the win Monday.
▪ Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard (Mansfield Legacy) held the Royals scoreless and struck out nine over six innings to earn the win in his first start Tuesday.
▪ Reds left-hander Brandon Finnegan (Fort Worth Southwest, TCU) allowed a first-inning homer in his first start of the season Wednesday but held the Phillies to two runs on three hits and struck out nine in six innings.
Stefan Stevenson: 817-390-7760, @StevensonFWST
This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Arlington Martin’s Nathan Karns treasures ‘home’ opener."