Playoff-bound Seattle Mariners eyeing World Series run

SEATTLE – Shortly after the Seattle Mariners clinched their sixth playoff berth in franchise history, manager Dan Wilson stood in the middle of the clubhouse and gave a short speech.

Then he uncorked the first bottle of champagne.

And kickstarted what the Mariners hope will be the first of several such celebrations over the coming days and weeks.

“Even though it stings your eyes, it still feels really good,” said Wilson, who went to four playoffs with the club as a catcher in the 1990s and early 2000s.

“And this group, these guys deserve every minute of celebration, because they’ve put in the work.”

The Celebration has Started! #Mariners pic.twitter.com/puYY3oLCLw

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) September 24, 2025

After snapping their 21-year playoff drought in 2022, the Mariners had agonizing near-misses each of the past two seasons, falling one game short in both 2023 and 2024.

But thanks to a red-hot September surge, the M’s are headed back to October after a playoff-clinching 4-3 comeback win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.

They’re in! Seattle Mariners clinch spot in playoffs after Naylor’s double

And with their “magic number” now down to one, the Mariners are also on the precipice of their first American League West title since 2001. With four games to go, they need only one more win or one more loss by the Houston Astros to lock up the division crown.

“Those years served its purpose to get us stronger, to get us in a better position (and) to grow,” Mariners All-Star center fielder Julio Rodríguez said of missing the playoffs the past two years.

“And now we’re here,” he said. “Now we’re here.”

CLINCHED. #SeizeTheMoment pic.twitter.com/09rLG4gCeZ

— Seattle Mariners – x (@Mariners) September 24, 2025

Less than three weeks ago, the Mariners had sputtered to 13 losses in their past 18 games.

But in the blink of an eye, they turned things around in epic fashion. They’ve since won 15 of their past 16 games, including a landmark three-game sweep in Houston this past weekend gave them a stranglehold on the AL West.

And with one of the most complete rosters in baseball, the M’s are looking as dangerous as any team in the majors. According to FanGraphs, they are now the favorite to win the World Series.

“I like our chances,” Rodríguez said. “I like our chances to go deep and just leave everything out there on the floor.”

Tuesday’s win was certainly not the prettiest. Seattle mustered just three hits and struck out 16 times against the MLB-worst Rockies.

But like great teams do, the M’s still found a way to scratch out a victory on a night when they weren’t at their best.

Trailing 3-1 in the eighth, trade-deadline addition Josh Naylor lined a two-out, bases-clearing double into the left-center-field gap to give Seattle the lead and send an electric T-Mobile Park into a frenzy.

JOSH NAYLOR FOR THE LEAD!! #SeizeTheMoment pic.twitter.com/M6uUaDTsMR

— Seattle Mariners – x (@Mariners) September 24, 2025

Flamethrowing closer Andrés Muñoz then shut the door in the ninth to kick off what could be the first of back-to-back celebratory nights.

If the M’s win again on Wednesday and lock up the AL West, there will be more champagne to pop.

“It’s a special group, and they’ve shown it all season long,” Wilson said. “And tonight was no exception to that, getting down like we did, but being able to load the bases there and get the big knock.

“But there is a lot of work to do, starting with the division,” he added. “… There’s a lot ahead of us, and this team is ready and primed for it.”

Playoff-bound Seattle Mariners eyeing World Series run

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