Mariners Drop Saturday Spring Game 10-5; Hancock Appears Solid in Start
The beating Arizona sun took quite its share of victims for the second day in a row as the San Francisco Giants made the trip over from Scottsdale to Peoria for some Cactus League action against the Seattle Mariners. Chief among those victims this time was Emerson Hancock’s Spring Training ERA as the M’s let a five-run lead become a five-run loss.
But since the score doesn’t matter in February, let’s take a look at some of the few things that might give us the faintest echo of an idea for how the Mariners look going into 2026.
Emerson Hancock shows some life in his first outing of the spring.
Seattle’s pitching lab has seen a lot of success in recent years, with Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby turning into key pieces of the Mariners’ arsenal. But so far, that success has not been flowing in Emerson Hancock’s direction. Hancock, who has a career 4.81 ERA, 5.23 FIP, and 1.359 WHIP across 37 appearances (31 starts), enters 2026 with one more shot to become a major league starter.
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?
WATCH: How Does Mariners' Current Lineup Stack Up Against American League Foes?
Though the Mariners may not be done adding pieces just yet with a little over a month until spring training, no major changes should be expected with their projected everyday lineup. How does their lineup look heading towards spring training?
Mariners Quiet After Refsnyder Deal - But Moves Around League Offer Slightly Clearer Signal of 2026 MLB Environment
Things have been remarkably quiet in Mariners world since Rob Refsnyder signed with the team, but there is still plenty to be gleaned from some action - or in some cases, lack thereof - around MLB during Christmas week.
Analysis: Five Options for Extra Mariners Bat after Jorge Polanco’s Signing with Mets
The Seattle Mariners’ Plan A was to have Jorge Polanco return for a couple years as a veteran infield bat, but with that now off the table, what hitters should the M’s be looking to as offseason augmentations?
WATCH: What's Next in Mariners' Offseason Plans After MLB Winter Meetings?
With the MLB league meetings in the rearview mirror, the Mariners still have plenty of offseason business to tend to, starting with questions at second and third base.
Geno Suárez, Mariners Cruise to 6-2 Win, Sweep Hapless Rockies
It was certainly a lot simpler than many other Mariners wins in 2025, but Seattle’s cruise control win on Thursday night still gave some insights into a few players on the playoff-bound ballclub.
Watch: Leo Rivas Walks Off Cardinals in 13-Inning Slog, Mariners Take Fifth Straight
The Mariners won their fifth straight game on Wednesday, and it was a brutal battle that saw one aspect of their game pushed to their absolute limit while the team dragged its feet on the other side of the ball. How did they pull it off in extras to topple the Cardinals?
All Yelling, No Winning: Mariners Fall to Caminero-Led Rays 6-5, Continue Awful Rut
The Mariners’ woes on the road continued on Tuesday evening, as they dropped a game and a series to the Tampa Bay Rays. Problems both typical and atypical dogged the team, but two consistent issues were what sealed the deal.
Not-So-Sunny Philadelphia Welcomes Mariners in 12-7 Shellacking to Phillies
With all the struggles the Mariners have been facing on the road these last few games, there’s one thing that above all else is giving the boys from the Northwest slim chances to win - and it’s something the team usually relies on.
Painful Pentagon of Problems Paralyzes Mariners in 7-3 Loss at Little League Classic
The Seattle Mariners went to Williamsport on Sunday and treated the little league audience with a slew of examples of what not to do on a baseball diamond. Can the Mariners address these issues in time to stop their current skid?
Mariners Lineup Goes Off on Not-So-Amazin’ Mets, Seattle Wins 11-9 Slugfest
The Seattle Mariners clobbered the New York Mets’ bullpen just enough to overcome a shaky start of their own on Friday, winning a high-scoring game with a barrage of doubles from guys all around lineup.
Mariners Honor Ichiro with Sixth Straight Victory, Beat Rays 7-4
The Seattle Mariners continued their hot streak on Saturday night with a 7-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, riding a home run from Cal Raleigh and two from Julio Rodriguez to some early scoring that proved to be the difference on the second day of Ichiro weekend.
Cal Raleigh Turns Tables, Blasts No. 43 as Mariners Beat Rays 3-2
Don’t look now, but the Mariners have won five straight. The magic continued on Saturday behind the bat of Cal Raleigh, whose three-run blast turned what would have been a shutout loss into a thrilling comeback victory on the first night of Ichiro weekend.
Mariners Slaughtered By Brewers, Lose Series in 10-2 Defeat
In another game to forget for the Mariners, the visiting Brewers took advantage of key defensive miscues and pitches out over the heart of the plate to secure a series win at T-Mobile Park in blowout fashion.
Lifeless Mariners Drift to Sea in Ugly 6-0 Loss to Brewers
The Mariners had a bad case of the Mondays in their series opener against the Brewers as they failed to scratch across even a single run, all while a rough sixth inning for George Kirby and a shaky debut by Brandyn Garcia resulted in six crossing the plate for the red-hot visitors.
Good, Bad and Ugly: Mariners Win Thriller Over Astros to Guarantee Series Win
It took 11 innings, but the Seattle Mariners fended off the Houston Astros 7-6 on Saturday in a thrilling ballgame.
Rock, Randy, Rout: Arozarena, Mariners Trounce Astros to Kick Off Second Half
Randy Arozarena stayed hot and Luis Castillo delivered a gem to open the second half as the Mariners picked up a much-needed home win against the Astros to continue pursuit of their AL West-leading rival.
Mariners Bust Out Brooms, Enter All-Star Break With 8-4 Win Over Tigers
Three days after getting swept in heartbreaking fashion, the Seattle Mariners brought out their own brooms - and of course the mighty gold trident - to finish off the Detroit Tigers with another impressive offensive showing on Sunday.
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