Games Of Note: Padres, Mariners Stage Rivalry To Play For (Eddie) Vedder Cup

By Barry Janoff

March 14, 2025: Eddie Vedder has made a lasting impact in music.

Now he is having an additional impact in baseball.

The Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres said they have joined with Vedder to play annually for what is now officially the Vedder Cup in their season series, beginning in 2025.

They have faced each other since inter-league play began in 1997 in what has essentially been a self-proclaimed rivalry, in concert with MLB.

The Mariners-Padres games have unofficially been referred to as the Vedder Cup since it was conceived tongue-in-cheek via social media by Padres’ fans in 2011.

The premise behind the Vedder Cup is that Vedder lived in both San Diego and Seattle.

The move creates a real Vedder Cup trophy, featuring a guitar provided personally by Vedder, frontman for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group Pearl Jam.

Perhaps of more importance, as part of the annual series, the Mariners and Padres will support EB Research Partnership.

The non-profit organization co-founded by Eddie and Jill Vedder in 2010 is dedicated to ”funding research to discover treatments and cures for Epidermolysis Bullosa, a group of devastating and life-threatening genetic skin disorders that affect children from birth.”

“We are thrilled that we were able to bring the Vedder Cup concept to life in such a fun and impactful way,” Trevor Gooby, Mariners evp and CMO, said via the team.

“Creating and sharing memorable events like this with Mariners fans is extremely gratifying, and I am very thankful for Eddie, his team, EB Research Partnership and the Padres in sharing the Mariners vision and commitment to celebrating and serving the Seattle community.”

In the first official edition of the Vedder Cup, the Padres host the Mariners May 16-18 in Petco Park, then visit the Mariners in T-Mobile Park, Aug. 25-27.

Both clubs will have Vedder Cup theme games. The Mariners and Padres will each offer people the opportunity to buy Vedder Cup merchandise in Team Stores in Seattle and San Diego during the series.

Vedder is expected to personally be on-hand in Seattle to deliver the Vedder Cup to the winning team.

According to a promo, “Introducing The Vedder Cup,” “San Diego. Seattle. Both cities have one iconic person in common. Both claim him as their own. Raised in San Diego. Reached the pinnacle of success in Seattle. Eddie Vedder.

“This season, Major League Baseball is ready to let the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners decide this rivalry on the field. Which city will win the season series and claim the first Vedder Cup!?”

If the teams are tied 3-3 after both series, the first tie-breaker goes to the team with a greater run differential in the season series.

If that fails, they move to what was called "EV "— standing for Exit Velocity and Eddie Vedder: The team with the highest exit velocity recorded on a hit will win the Vedder Cup.

Ironically, Vedder is a self-proclaimed fan of the Chicago Cubs as he was born in Evanston, IL, in 1964 before moving with his family to San Diego in the mid-1970s.

He returned to Illinois to earn his high school GED at Oakland Community College before going back to San Diego in 1984. He moved to Seattle in 1990 to help form Pearl Jam.

Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, its first year of eligibility.

“We are thrilled that we were able to bring the Vedder Cup concept to life in such a fun and impactful way."

Vedder has appeared at numerous Cubs games and wrote, “All The Way,” a tribute to the Cubs 2008 World Series championship.

Nonetheless, the rivalry between the Padres and Mariners is “Alive.”

“We’re proud to partner with the Mariners and Eddie Vedder to announce the creation of the Vedder Cup, a special interleague rivalry series that celebrates the unique connection between our cities through the rock legend and Pearl Jam frontman,” Padres CEO Erik Greupner said via the team.

 “This West Coast showdown will create some cool, fun, and memorable moments for our fans while bringing meaningful awareness to EB research. We can't wait to see this rivalry series grow and look forward to battling the Mariners for the Vedder Cup."

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