Four Runs Still Out of Reach as Mariners Fall 4-3 to Guardians
The Seattle Mariners continue to eye franchise history - for the wrong reasons - as they tied the team record with 13 games in a row while scoring three or fewer runs in a 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. Holding onto a half-game lead in the middling American League West, the Mariners need to decide if they want to build on last year's success or drift sheepishly back into mediocrity.
Even the most optimistic Seattle fans know the phrase “Same old Mariners.” It encompasses the feelings of a downtrodden fanbase that has only made the playoffs six times in their 50 years of existence. Despite having the greatest season in team history last year by reaching Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, most fans are already ready to chalk it up as a fluke given their team’s struggles this year.
The roster is not devoid of talent; quite the opposite actually. FanGraphs Playoff Odds still gives the M’s an 80.3% chance of making the postseason. The lineup still needs to wake up though, as this roster has shown that it cannot sleepwalk its way to winning the division.
The trade deadline is approaching. Changes need to be made. What can this SoDo squad do to get back on track?
Mariners Right Road-Trip Wrongs, Start Homestand With Gritty 3-1 vs. Orioles
Back in tandem for the first time in nearly a month, Logan Gilbert dazzled and Cal Raleigh stole the show as the Seattle Mariners sidestepped a recent myriad of injuries to start off their latest homestand on the right foot, earning a late 3-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday night.
The Mariners returned home for a six-game set still on the wrong side of the injury report. Three lineup mainstays were unavailable, even with Raleigh and J.P. Crawford returning, putting more pressure on Dan Wilson’s stars to show up. And boy did they ever.
Happily firing darts to Raleigh in his first game off the injured list, Gilbert tossed seven innings of one-run ball while striking out a season-high 10 batters. Making an immediate impact with his bat after a long rehab stint in Everett and Tacoma, Raleigh came through in the clutch, scorching a go-ahead RBI single that plated the winning two runs in the seventh inning.
What stood out in Tuesday’s series-opening win?
Mitch Garver Returns to Mariners on Minor League Contract; Will Big League Team See Him in 2026?
When the 2024 season took flight, Mitch Garver was fresh off one of the best seasons of his career. In 87 games as a catcher and DH for the Texas Rangers, he slashed .270/.370/.500 for a 138 OPS+ (where 100 is league average) with 19 homers, 11 doubles, and 50 RBIs. But the real crown jewel of that season came on Nov. 1, when his Rangers sealed their first World Series victory.
The Mariners wanted a piece of that action. Ever short a bat and needing a reliable backstop to complement burgeoning star Cal Raleigh, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto dished out the then-largest free agent hitter contract of his tenure, a two-year, $24 million deal with a $12 million mutual option for a third year that had a $1 million team buyout.
Things didn’t quite go according to plan. Over 201 games in 2024 and 2025, Garver slashed .187/.290/.341 for an 85 OPS+. A decline in batting average on balls in play from .313 in 2023 - an unheeded warning that he was due for regression - to .236 over the next pair of summers took a lot of the wind from his sails, concurrent with a decline in line drives and an increase in grounders. The M’s took the buyout and Garver took heed of his options, but in the end, he returned to Seattle on a minor league contract. Will he find his way back to the big league club, or will any value from Garver in 2026 be more organizational?
‘We Knew Where We Wanted to Go’: Early Josh Naylor Signing Projects Confidence For Mariners
Josh Naylor, Jerry Dipoto, and Justin Hollander sat down for questions on Tuesday morning about the Mariners’ five-year deal to keep Naylor in Seattle. The conference was a display of confidence for a starving city and team.
Glimpsing Offseason Priorities: Four Takeaways from Mariners’ End-of-Season Interviews
The Mariners front office responded to the media’s questions on Thursday morning, offering some indication—however murky—about their plans for 2026. What were the four key things that the press conference told us?
Takeaways From Mariners POBO Jerry Dipoto’s Post-Deadline Media Availability
Jerry Dipoto sat down in the Mariners dugout to take questions from the media about the MLB trade deadline - and his answers provide some insight into quite a few questions that are flowing around the ball club with two months left in the regular season.
The Mariners’ Front Office Continues to Make Mistakes It Can’t Afford
Ownership is still the biggest reason for the Mariners’ chronic mediocrity, but Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander’s recent failures in the things they have control over raise plenty of questions about how the major-league club got here and where it’s going.
Cole Young Called Up: What to Know About Mariners’ Top Prospect
The Mariners have called up Cole Young. Here’s what you need to know about the 2022 first-round pick before he makes his debut against the Twins on Saturday.
Power Questions Linger as Mariners' Harry Ford Eyes MLB Future
Mariners prospect Harry Ford has impressed this spring, but questions about his potential power output persist.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Could Challenge the Mariners’ Stance on ‘Rentals’
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension, meaning the star first baseman will either be available at this summer’s trade deadline or free agency next winter. Will the Mariners go after him?
The Biggest Spring Training Storylines For the Mariners
The level of intrigue that Spring Training typically brings is a bit lacking for the Mariners following a quiet offseason, but there are still a few big storylines to keep track of leading up to Opening Day.
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