In 2025, the Seattle Mariners won the American League West for the first time since 2001 and fell just eight outs short of their first-ever World Series appearance, losing to the Blue Jays in Game seven of the American League Championship Series (ALCS).

The 2026 Seattle Mariners finished 10 games under .500 at 76-86 and didn’t sniff the postseason. World Series aspirations were high going into the season, but outside of an eight game win streak from May 24 to June 2, those expectations fell undeniably short.

So, what went wrong with the 2026 Mariners?

The Mariners saw every major statistic drop, including batting average (.244 in 2025, .233 in 2026), on base percentage (.320 to .314) and slugging (.420 to .379). Clearly, the team struggled offensively, which caused them to be 28th out of 30 on total runs scored with 664.

Cal Raleigh, Mariners star catcher who made history in 2025 by being the seventh major league player to hit 60 home runs in a season, missed 36 games with an oblique injury. It was his first time landing on the injured list in his six-year-long career.

Julio Rodriguez, the team’s center fielder, missed 12 games with a concussion after being hit in the back of the helmet while running the bases. In 2025, Rodriguez had 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases and became the only player in MLB history with 110 home runs and 110 stolen bases in his first four seasons.

First baseman Josh Naylor had a nagging wrist injury which required surgery after the end of the season. Naylor was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Mariners July 24, and had the first 20+ homer and 30+ stolen base season by a first baseman.

All three players that led the offense during the playoffs the year before had the worst years of their careers in 2026. It’s extremely difficult to make the playoffs when one of your stars is hurt or having a bad year, but to have the Mariners ‘big three’ struggle for the entirety of 2026 kills the team when trying to make a postseason push.

The Mariners pitching rotation also dealt with surprising changes. Luis Castillo, traded from the Cincinnati Reds in 2022, had a career worst 5.85 earned run average (ERA), and was traded to the Chicago White Sox at the end of July.

Emerson Hancock, who only started the season with the club due to a Bryce Miller injury, emerged after struggling since his MLB debut in 2023, and put up a career best 3.57 ERA in 138 and two-thirds innings. He eventually took over Castillo’s spot when he got shipped.

One key moment fans look back on was when the Mariners tried “piggybacking,” where two starting pitchers split a typical starter’s workload. When Bryce Miller returned from injury, he and Castillo were put into this role and alternated one starting the game, and the other following the starter.

On May 26, Castillo finished four innings and Manager Dan Wilson told him his night was done. After a long conversation, Castillo was seen slamming his glove on the bench in frustration as Bryce Miller took his place on the field.

The lack of communication between the pitchers and President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and General Manager Justin Hollander left the pitchers confused and frustrated. 

The team felt disconnected even before the season started. This was highlighted nationally when Raleigh refused to shake outfielder and teammate Randy Arozarena’s hand when the two squared off in the World Baseball Classic.

Arozarena, on Team Mexico, was upset at the interaction with Raleigh, on Team USA, which caused tension in the clubhouse. I look back on this moment as the one where  things slowly started to take a downturn with the chemistry of the Mariners.

After the 2026 season concluded, Wilson, who led the Mariners to Game Seven of the ALCS in 2025, announced he wasn’t returning. While it sounds like it was Wilson’s choice to leave, the front office was getting ready to fire him after the season’s end.

The joy and fun you saw in the 2025 Mariners has seemingly gone missing. Constant injuries that prevented the roster from playing at full strength and a lack of depth were both big factors in the team’s lack of success.

This season was one of the most frustrating and disappointing I can remember as a fan. Just last year, this team was close to their first-ever trip to the Fall Classic; now, they are on the couch watching two of the lowest payrolls in 2026, the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians, square off in the ALCS.

While payroll isn’t a reason this team didn’t make the playoffs, it’s frustrating to see the Mariners miss out on top players in the offseason year after year. The front office talks about building a team to win and a team that is sustainable, yet chooses to avoid drafting the best players available because of their price.

Everyone thought the magical 2025 season was going to be the start of the Mariners taking serious strides to their first World Series appearance. Instead, the 2027 MLB season may be delayed by  a lockout between the owners and players occurring Dec. 2, leaving fans wondering how long it will be before the Mariners get their chance.