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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 24: J.P. Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners reacts in frustration after hitting a ground out in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during their game at T-Mobile Park on August 24, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. Teams are wearing special color schemed uniforms with players choosing nicknames to display for Players' Weekend. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Seattle Mariners' playoff hopes were officially dashed on Thursday afternoon when the Texas Rangers defeated the New York Mets 3-1, mathematically eliminating Seattle from the 2026 postseason picture. The club, which entered the year with high expectations, will settle for third place in the American League West, surrendering the division crown it held a year ago to a Texas team that has been one of the season's surprise contenders.
At 74-84, the Mariners would need to win all of their remaining games just to equal their second-worst full-season record under general manager Jerry Dipoto, the 78-84 mark posted in 2017. This will be the franchise's fourth losing campaign—excluding the shortened 60-game 2020 season—during Dipoto's tenure, which has otherwise featured seven winning seasons and a franchise-record five consecutive years above .500. Seattle's only back-to-back playoff appearances remain 2000 and 2001.
Unlike recent seasons, Seattle could not summon a late surge, and now faces the prospect of watching what could be the first division title won by a sub-.500 team in MLB history. Consistency eluded the club all year, particularly on the road, where a .407 winning percentage proved fatal despite a winning record at T-Mobile Park.
The Mariners' defense was historically bad, finishing last in the majors in Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value, and arguably ranking among the worst in the past decade. While advanced metrics confirm the eye test, the defensive woes were evident to anyone watching. J.P. Crawford's defensive decline at shortstop created ripple effects, though his transition to third base showed more promise. A rotating cast of infielders, weak options in the outfield corners, and a drop in range from Julio Rodríguez in center field allowed countless hits to fall in.
The pitching staff faced difficult circumstances but contributed to its own struggles. The starting rotation battled health issues, a six-man rotation, and inconsistent effectiveness. For the first time since 2021, Seattle's pitchers will finish with an ERA below league average, despite benefiting from pitching half their games in one of MLB's most pitcher-friendly parks. The bullpen, once a source of strength, faltered all season despite throwing the fewest innings in the majors. Conversely, the rotation—often given extra rest but asked to work deeper into games—crumbled, especially on the road.
Offensively, the Mariners showed flashes of competence but were plagued by poor timing with runners in scoring position. Cal Raleigh battled injuries before landing on the injured list, and rookie Colt Emerson followed suit. Josh Naylor and Rob Refsnyder also limped to subpar seasons. Depth options like Leo Rivas, Luke Raley, Victor Robles, Weston Wilson, Connor Joe, Miles Mastrobuoni, Brock Rodden, and Patrick Wisdom produced dreadful numbers or couldn't stay healthy. Brendan Donovan, impactful when available, managed only 39 games in his first season outside St. Louis.
The outfield was the lone bright spot. Julio Rodríguez had a disappointing year by his standards but still contributed roughly 3 wins above replacement and another 20-20 season, though his relative down year put more pressure on a fragile roster. Dominic Canzone built on his 2025 improvements, earning full-time play and moving into the heart of the order. And then there was Randy Arozarena, the star of a star-crossed team. The best left fielder in franchise history will likely see his tenure in Seattle end this weekend. Entering the final four games, he sported a .279/.380/.479 line with a 151 wRC+, another 25-25 campaign, and 5.3 fWAR—double that of any other Mariners position player except Julio. As the primary leadoff hitter, Arozarena was the one player who could be counted on to arrive prepared, battle at the plate, and improve the team's chances of winning.
Any hope for a 2026 rebound is complicated by the likely loss of their best player and the club's difficulty adding talent last year. No new Mariner in 2026 played more than 40 games and posted a positive fWAR. Extending that to pitchers, José A. Ferrer managed 0.1 fWAR in 72 games and 64.1 innings. Lowering the threshold to 29 games brings Cooper Criswell and Jhonny Pereda barely above zero. It was a dismal showing for offseason and midseason additions, though Seranthony Domínguez has looked much closer to a viable bullpen arm since a disastrous first outing.
That said, the youth movement offers hope. Cole Young took a clear step forward in his age-22 season, producing a league-average bat and notable defensive improvements. More is expected from the now-23-year-old, and his early-20s peers have shown promise in limited opportunities. Lazaro Montes has displayed immense power, and Michael Arroyo has been immediately impactful with the bat in sporadic playing time. To avoid another disappointment, the Mariners will need them and their largely under-30 core to use this season's frustration as fuel.
This year will cost manager Dan Wilson his job, and perhaps more. It stands as the most disappointing performance by a Mariners team relative to reasonable expectations in franchise history. Next year must be better.
Originally reported by yahoo.