{"id":664944,"date":"2026-04-05T17:31:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T17:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/664944\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T17:31:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T17:31:19","slug":"why-seattle-mariners-can-handle-pressure-of-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/664944\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Seattle Mariners can handle pressure of expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"

The goal for the Seattle Mariners this season is simple: win a World Series.<\/p>\n

Now, achieving that goal won\u2019t be simple, but the belief \u2013 and the expectations \u2013 around baseball are they\u2019re capable of doing it.<\/p>\n

Will the weight of those expectations prove to be too much? ESPN MLB reporter Alden Gonz\u00e1lez<\/a> doesn\u2019t believe they will be and explained two reasons why during a conversation with Seattle Sports\u2019 Bump and Stacy on Friday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI think experience helps in this. I think when you have younger teams, they could struggle with this,\u201d Gonz\u00e1lez said. \u201c\u2026 This is a group that the vast majority of these guys have been the big leagues now a long time, and they\u2019ve all been in the big leagues together for a long time. I think being in the pressure-packed moments of last October helped them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another reason Gonz\u00e1lez is confident in the Mariners is he sees a clear path to another title in the American League West.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, they\u2019re just more talented than everybody else,\u201d Gonz\u00e1lez said. \u201cI think when you take their roster and their team compared to everybody else in the American League West, in my mind, it\u2019s not close. It really isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Mariners have so much more pitching depth than anybody in their division,\u201d he added. \u201cTheir lineup should be so much better than everybody else\u2019s in the division. This is their year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seattle will get a good early look at how it stacks up against the division over the next few weeks. Friday\u2019s series opener against the Angels began a 19-game stretch with 16 against AL West squads, including at least one series with each.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my mind, something would really have to go wrong for them not to finish at the top of the American League West, because I think the Rangers are very flawed, I think the Astros don\u2019t have anywhere close to the starting pitching depth that they need (and) they have an older lineup, and I don\u2019t think the A\u2019s are ready, and I don\u2019t think the Angels are a good team. The Mariners are the class of this division, and I expect that to show itself before the season ends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hear the full conversation at this link<\/a> or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More on the Seattle Mariners<\/p>\n

\u2022 Morosi\u2019s assessment of Seattle Mariners\u2019 Colt Emerson extension<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Seattle Mariners prospect Kade Anderson delivers stellar pro debut<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Cal Raleigh: What stands out about this year\u2019s Seattle Mariners<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0M\u2019s announce schedule change to avoid overlap with Seahawks opener<\/a>
\u2022 Mariners top prospect Colt Emerson delivers web gem in Tacoma<\/a><\/p>\n

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