The Seattle Mariners enter the 2026 season with a level of national hype not seen in the Pacific Northwest since the early 2000s. After a 2025 campaign that saw them win 90 games and clinch their first AL West title in over two decades – only to fall in a heartbreaking 7 game ALCS to Toronto – the expectations in Seattle are World Series or bust.
The front office was aggressive this winter with the pursuit of ensuring that a World Series championship is brought back to the emerald city this season. Josh Naylor was re-signed after a stellar post-trade last season and Brendan Donovan was acquired to stabilize 3B/2B. Out are Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez, which signals a shift toward more versatile, high-contact bats to complement Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez.
Lineup:
After years searching for a middle-of-the-order identity, the front office has finally surrounded Rodriguez with enough protection. The big question for the Mariners this season is can Raleigh replicate even 70% of his 2025 historic production? If he remains a 40-homer threat the Mariners will have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball.
Donovan was brought in to be the table-setter and leadoff man, while Naylor provides a left-handed power anchor. Randy Arozarena was known to thrive last season with runners on base. P. Crawford will be tasked with turning the lineup over and remains a steady short stop.
Rotation:
As good as the lineup should be, Seattle’s greatest strength is their starting five. Bryan Woo should be considered a dark horse Cy Young candidate after he posted a sub – 3.00 ERA for much of last season and hopefully his injury issues are now behind him. Logan Gilbert is considered the work horse of the rotation (3.44 ERA in 2025) and features a high-velocity extension and a splitter so devasting that he led MLB in K/9 (11.9) among pitchers with 100+ innings. Luis Castillo (3.54 ERA in 2025) is the veteran of the group and continuously throws his heater in the high 90s. George Kirby showcases historical control on his pitches and rarely walks batters. Bryce Miller is a power arm who showcases a high-spin rising fastball that eats up hitters.
Bullpen
Seattle features a “big three” at the back end of their bullpen. Andrew Munoz has cemented himself as one of the best closers in baseball and is coming off a massive 2025 where he posted a 1.73 ERA and 38 saves. He comes armed with a 100-mph fastball and a slider that remains statistically one of the hardest pitches to hit in the league. Matt Brash returns after missing most of 2025 to recover from Tommy John surgery. He claims he’s at his best since pre-surgery and is already throwing 96 mph with ease. Jose Ferrer was acquired to be the main left handed component and is expected to be brough in to face dangerous lefty hitters. Gabe Speier remains featured in the middle innings and should continue to provide a steady veteran presence.
Projected Lineup:
- Brendan Donovan – 3B
- Julio Rodriguez – CF
- Cal Raleigh – C
- Josh Naylor – 1B
- Randy Arozarena – LF
- Dominic Canzone – DH
- Luke Raley – RF
- Cole Young – 2B
- P. Crawford – SS
Projected Rotation:
- Bryan Woo
- Logan Gilbert
- Luis Castillo
- George Kirby
- Bryce Miller
Projected Bullpen:
Andres Munoz – Closer
Matt Brash – Setup
Jose Ferrer
Gabe Speier
Eduard Bazardo
Carlos Vargas
Manager: Dan Wilson (3rd season)
Projection: 89-73 (1st in the AL West)
Written By: Brian Finnigan
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