There is a big hole in the Seattle Mariners' history. They have been playing in the American League since 1977 and they have never won the American League pennant and have therefore never played in the World Series. The Mariners have never been closer to either of those goals than they were last year.
The Mariners won the American League West title last year with a 90-72 record. They did not have to play in the Wild Card series since they had the second-best record in the American League behind the Toronto Blue Jays. They defeated the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in the division series and they faced the Blue Jays in the ALCS.
After winning the first two games of the series in Toronto, the Mariners appeared destined to win the AL title. However, Toronto bounced back when the series got to T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Toronto would tie the series before the Mariners won the pivotal Game 5. If Seattle had been able to win one of the final two games in Toronto, the Mariners would go to the World Series.
The Mariners lost Game 6, but ace pitcher Bryan Woo was brilliant in Game 7 and the Mariners took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the 7th inning. Disaster struck when manager Dan Wilson lifted Woo with 1 out and runners on 2nd and 3rd base for reliever Eduard Bazardo. George Springer greeted Bazardo with a 3-run home run and that was enough to give Toronto a 4-3 triumph and a spot in the World Series.
Wilson and the Mariners have had to live with that brutal loss all winter, and there is a determination from record-setting catcher Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena to make it to the World Series in 2026.
The Mariners are one of the favorites to win the American League pennant at a time when many fans and observers are ready to make their predictions on the upcoming season.
Donovan looks like key acquisition
Brendan Donovan was the Mariners' key acquisition in the offseason. He appears to be their starting third baseman and will likely be Wilson's lead-off hitter.
The Mariners acquired Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a 3-team trade that also included the Tampa Bay Rays. The deal cost the Mariners 3rd baseman Ben Williamson and 2 minor leaguers.
Donovan has 4 Major League seasons to his credit and all of them have been with the Cardinals. He was a Gold Glove winner as a rookie in 2022, earning the designation as a utility player because he played 3rd base, 2nd base, left field and right field.
Donovan has been consistent at the plate the last two seasons. He made the National League All-Star team in 2025 as he slashed .287/.353/.422 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI, and he demonstrated a solid ability to make contact with the baseball as he struck out just 67 times in 515 plate appearances.
Donovan's ability in the field and his consistency at the plate should allow him to fit right in with his new team in spring training.
The Mariners also made a key move by adding Rob Refsnyder to play a utility role in the outfield. Refsnyder has had a 10-year Major League career and the last four were with the Boston Red Sox. He has excelled against left-handed pitching and Wilson will almost certainly take advantage of his skill in that area.
Refsnyder slashed .269/.354/.484 and he hit 9 home runs and drove in 30 runs in just 182 at bats last season. He is not an every-day player, but he can make the occasional start or come off the bench as a pinch hitter and make a difference for a contending team.
Mariners driven by Big Dumper and brilliant pitching staff
The Mariners are a team that is driven by its brilliant pitching staff along with a couple of key leaders in Raleigh and Rodriguez.
Woo was one of the elite pitchers in the American League last season and he will be at the top of the rotation again this season. He had a 15-7 record a year ago with a 2.94 earned run average. He started and pitched in 30 regular-season games and he struck out 198 batters in 186.2 innings.
Luis Castillo was 11-8 and he was right behind Woo in the Mariners rotation. He had a 3.54 ERA while starting 32 games last season. Logan Gilbert is the No. 3 starter and while he was just 6-6, he had a 3.44 ERA with 173 strikeouts in 131.0 innings.
Raleigh blasted 60 home runs last season and that destroyed the record for home runs by a catcher. Many observers believed he should have won the MVP Award over Aaron Judge as he also drove in 125 runs and played brilliantly behind the plate.
The Big Dumper is the unquestioned leader of the team and is beloved in the clubhouse. Rodriguez was healthy all season and became a 30-30 player with 32 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He can fly in centerfield and turn triples into long outs because of his defensive abilities.
