USMNT coach Pochettino to throw out first pitch at Mariners game

U.S. men's national team's head coach Mauricio Pochettino will lead his team into a highly anticipated matchup with Belgium in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. But before he does that, he’ll deal with another pressure-filled task -- throwing out the first pitch before a Mariners game on Friday.

With Monday’s World Cup game taking place at Seattle Stadium, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, the USMNT was invited to attend the Mariners’ matchup against the Blue Jays on Friday night at T-Mobile Park, and Pochettino will be handling ceremonial first-pitch duties.

The coach was spotted practicing some throws with a few of his players on Friday afternoon -- probably a smart move, since the internet has a long memory for bad first pitches, and word on the street is that the Argentine-born Pochettino has little to no experience throwing baseballs.

We’ll find out later whether that practice paid off.