I have been a Seattle Mariners fan my entire life. Growing up, every year my dad would tell me at some point in the season, “This is the year.” Whether it was in 2011, when highly touted prospects Dustin Ackley and Kyle Seager made their debuts, in 2013 after the Mariners signed Robinson Canó, or in 2021, when the team finally made the playoffs only to get swept by the Astros — he always said it. When I was young, I believed him. But as I got older, I became less hopeful. Each season, I found myself saying, “Dad, you say this every year.”
What I realized is that my dad is like most Mariners fans who have been following the team since the 1990s. He was lucky enough to witness the era of Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Randy Johnson, and so many others. He got to watch an era of Mariners baseball when the team truly had a chance to win it all, and came close in 1995, 1997, and 2001. But since 2001, fans like my dad have been living off the hope of those ’90s teams, not real hope.
However, this year feels different. For once, I’m agreeing with my dad wholeheartedly: this could be the year.
Why the Mariners Can Win It All
This team’s best attribute is its pitching. While injuries kept the staff from matching the numbers of previous seasons, the rotation remains the deepest in baseball. Logan Gilbert has looked like an All-Star since the break, posting an 11.9 K/9 with a 1.03 WHIP. George Kirby has allowed just seven runs across his last four starts, including a scoreless outing against the Astros to help Seattle secure the division. Bryce Miller’s numbers this year don’t pop off the page, but when healthy last season, he carried a 2.97 ERA and 0.98 WHIP — Cy Young-caliber numbers. Bryan Woo, despite dealing with pec tightness, made his first All-Star team this year and has been one of the most consistent arms in the league. And then there’s Luis Castillo, the staff’s veteran anchor, who continues to shine at home with a 2.60 ERA.
The bullpen is just as strong. Matt Brash, Gabe Speier, and Caleb Ferguson all have the ability to provide multiple scoreless innings. And in the playoffs, a lockdown closer is vital. Seattle has one of the best in All-Star Andrés Muñoz.
On offense, this has been one of the Mariners’ best seasons in recent memory. They rank in the top 10 in slugging percentage, OPS, home runs, and runs scored. They’re also dangerous on the basepaths, sitting third in stolen bases. Cal Raleigh should be the MVP — barring any East Coast bias — after putting together arguably the best offensive season by a catcher in MLB history. Julio Rodríguez, after a slow start, has caught fire since the break, hitting .290 with 18 home runs and 45 RBIs. Midseason additions Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez have been vital to the second-half surge, each posting OPS marks above .800. Dominic Canzone is having a career year, hitting .300 with an .839 OPS. Victor Robles has been electric since returning from injury, and Jorge Polanco has been the team’s most consistent hitter all season.
How We Match Up in October
To win a World Series, you have to beat the best — and the path looks favorable for Seattle.
- Tigers: Detroit has been an average team in the second half, with inconsistent hitting that won’t hold up against the Mariners’ deep rotation. Their offense simply doesn’t match up with Seattle’s frontline pitching.
- Yankees: The Bronx Bombers’ bullpen is a liability, ranking near the bottom of the league in late-inning ERA. Aaron Judge is always a threat, but history shows he’s been far from automatic in October — slashing just .212 with 16 home runs in 61 postseason games. If Seattle’s starters keep him in check, New York doesn’t have the depth to outslug the Mariners.
- National League Favorites: Whoever comes out of the NL is beatable. The Phillies have lost their ace, Zach Wheeler, to injury, a devastating blow that makes their rotation far less intimidating. The Dodgers, meanwhile, have star power but a shaky bullpen, posting a 4.27 ERA as a unit — one of the worst in baseball. Over a long series, that weakness can and will be exposed by a balanced Mariners lineup.
This October, the Mariners aren’t just a feel-good story or a scrappy underdog. They are a legitimate contender, built on dominant pitching, timely hitting, and postseason-ready depth.
For the first time in my life, I’m not just echoing mydad’ss words. I believe them. This could be the year.
