Three X-Factors in Mariners’ Success For 2026
For the Seattle Mariners to return to the playoffs in 2026, it’s obvious which usual suspects have to have strong seasons. Cal Raleigh, while unfair to be expected to mash 60 homers again, needs to be among the league leaders in home runs with a slugging percentage at least near .500. Julio Rodriguez needs to be a 30-30 threat again (30 home runs/30 stolen bases). The top three of the rotation need to be reliable and healthy. Andres Muñoz needs to keep throwing gas and stay healthy as well. That’s all a given.
But to get further than the Divisional Round this time around, Seattle will need contributions from other sources to get over the top. Which X-Factors, if they perform perhaps better than expected, could drive the Mariners finally to their first World Series berth?
Mariners Repeat or Astros Return; Who is AL West’s Deadliest Warrior? Analyzing Division as 2026 Season Approaches
Ever since the Mariners’ dramatic September sweep on Houston’s home ground that all but sealed the division, 2026 has shaped up to be a close rematch between the two teams. Which team, if any, has the edge going into the season?
Does Mariners’ Bryce Miller Have Brighter Days Ahead after Injury-Laden 2025 Slump?
After Mariners starter Bryce Miller dealt with a decline in production downstream of his elbow inflammation in 2025, what can be expected of the Texan right-hander? What might his role be in a 2026 team hungry for a championship?
Geno Breaks Out Rye Bread and Mustard in Game 5 Thriller; M’s One Win Away from Fall Classic
With their backs to the wall for what seemed like the 100th time in 2025, the Seattle Mariners came up big in a Game 5 for the history books. How did the M’s rise again from the grave on Friday afternoon?
Bryce Miller to Start Game 5 for Mariners, Woo Available from Bullpen
Mariners manager Dan Wilson announced that Bryce Miller will get the ball for Game 5, while team ace Bryan Woo will be one of the team’s bullpen options in what could be their final home game of 2025. The decision indicates some continued caution around Woo following his injury in Houston.
Analysis: Mariners’ Painted Pitches Weakened Blue Jays Bats in Games 1 & 2
The odd silence from the Blue Jays’ bats in the first two games of the ALCS might seem strange, but when you look at where the Mariners have been pitching, Seattle’s shutdown statements begin to become clear.
WATCH: How Mariners Stymied Blue Jays’ Bats to Build 2-0 ALCS Lead
Bucking the odds after a 15-inning win in Game 5 of the ALDS to beat the Tigers, the Mariners came to Toronto off of short rest and shut down Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays to take a 2-0 lead in the ALCS. How has the pitching staff gotten it done for Seattle?
Rapid Reaction: M’s Arms Excel Again; Raleigh, Polanco Produce Enough for 3-1 ALCS Game 1 Win
Few expected that a Blue Jays team coming off an offensive firestorm would be all but shut down, but that’s what Bryce Miller and the Mariners did on Sunday night’s opener. How did Seattle strike ahead in Game 1?
Seven-Game Set Begins in Toronto: Pitching Matchups for Games 1-3 of M’s-Jays ALCS
The Mariners’ most important series in 24 years begins on Sunday night as the team goes on the road to Toronto. How do Seattle’s short-rested starters match up against the first three guys the Blue Jays will offer?
WATCH: Can Seattle Mariners Beat Tarik Skubal-led Tigers in ALDS Game 5?
The Detroit Tigers went to town on the Mariners bullpen on Wednesday afternoon, forcing a winner-take-all ALDS Game 5 in Seattle. Can the M’s defeat the best pitcher in the AL and punch their ticket to the ALCS?
Rapid Reaction: Tigers Kick Miller, Maul Mariner Bullpen; M’s Forced to Game 5 against Skubal
Seattle couldn’t get it done on Wednesday, dropping the chance to put the Tigers to bed in their own ballpark as Detroit forced Game 5 in Seattle. What made the tables turn so quickly in the back half of Game 4?
‘Vintage’ Logan Gilbert, ‘Grind-‘Em-Out’ At-Bats Prove Pivotal in Mariners’ Game 3 Rain-Delayed Victory
Despite two close battles at home, the Mariners’ relatively more comfortable Tuesday triumph showcased what often turns Seattle’s solid team into an excellent one.
Absent Ace? How Bryan Woo’s Availability Affects M’s ALDS Starting Rotation Scenarios
Bryan Woo’s injury status is the biggest “known unknown” going into the Mariners’ ALDS against the Tigers. How might the rotation look in the series for each of Woo’s availability possibilities?
Kershaw Ends Career with Gem; Mariners Fall to Dodgers 6-1 in Regular Season Finale
The last game of the 2025 season has come and gone for the Seattle Mariners. The result may have mattered little, but there were curtain calls and standing ovations aplenty as legends old and new finished out their years.
CLINCHED: Seattle Mariners Take 4-3 Comeback Win vs. Rockies, Secure Postseason Berth
For the second time in four years, the Seattle Mariners are going to the postseason, taking a comeback win to clinch their berth. And who else but one of their newest yet most beloved heroes to do the final honors?
Rare Bullpen Blowup Sinks Mariners’ Winning Streak in 7-5 Loss to Royals
Seattle’s vaunted 10-game winning streak has come to a close, with Mariners both present and former playing key roles in the Wednesday drama. What happened to stymie Seattle’s fortunes in game two?
WATCH: Key Stats From Mariners’ Nine-Game Winning Streak
The Mariners have a rest day Monday, but their previous nine games—including two sweeps at home—produced some stark numbers that help explain Seattle’s recent winning streak and climb to the top of the AL West.
How Mariners SP Bryce Miller’s 11-K Thursday Start Showcases Return from Injury
On Thursday, Bryce Miller made his fifth start since returning from the IL, and there were a couple things that offered glimpses of a potential return to form for the beleaguered Mariner pitcher.
Another September Slog, Another Mariner Win: Ford Sac Fly Walks Off 7-6 12-Inning Marathon
The Seattle Mariners had their second extra-inning slog in as many days, and once more, the bullpen put together a Herculean effort while the offense had more than its fair share of struggles. But baseball—especially in September—is akin to magic and fantasy, and Thursday’s game had a fairy-tale ending.
Mother Goose Mariners: Mustachioed M’s Bash 10 Homers, Take Final Two from Braves
Baseball’s auspicious history of superstition gained another entry over the weekend, as the Mariners—Cal Raleigh foremost among them—wore mustaches in their final two games against the Braves and the offense consequently erupted.
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