Final season, the Seattle Mariners made the playoffs for the primary time in twenty years. This season, they’re contenders to win the World Collection for the primary time within the 47-year historical past of the franchise.
The Seattle Mariners have seldom counted themselves among the many MLB’s elite. Since taking part in their first sport in 1977, the staff has an all-time successful proportion of .474, and has made the playoffs simply 5 occasions.
Rely MLB Insider Jeff Passan amongst those that consider the Mariners have seldom had a greater shot at successful a title.
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“I don’t assume playoffs are the one limitation at this level. I believe the ceiling for this staff is championship.” — MLB Insider Jeff Passan on the Seattle Mariners
Passan believes Seattle’s near-endless cycle of tearing down and constructing again up has reached an finish, saying:
“The concept that they’re coming in with a roster that’s championship-caliber this yr, I believe, speaks to the success of this rebuild” “We will say fairly definitively now (that) it’s labored, and I believe it has an opportunity to work even higher this yr than it did final yr.”
The Mariners boast a top-notch beginning rotation in Luis Castillo, Robbie Ray, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Marco Gonzales. If any of these 5 slumps or endure an harm, reliever Chris Flexen has seen success as a starter prior to now.
In accordance with Passan, the added beginning pitching depth is essential:
“You simply can’t go right into a season considering that your entire starters are going to remain wholesome,” mentioned Passan. “That mentioned, beginning pitching is a gigantic power for this staff. Pretty much as good as Robbie Ray has look this spring, nearly as good as Luis Castillo sorted the commerce, with Logan Gilbert including the splitter and coming into his personal in his third yr and with George Kirby’s first full season, that’s fairly a quartet of starters there.”
Seattle Mariners have loads of hitting, too
Teoscar Hernandez #35 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after an RBI double
Buoyed by 2023 American League Rookie of the 12 months Julio Rodriguez, the Seattle Mariners additionally function plenty of offensive punches. The staff has a brand new cleanup hitter in Teoscar Hernandez, who was acquired through commerce from the Toronto Blue Jays this previous offseason. In addition they have an array of sluggers, akin to Ty France and Eugenio Suarez. As soon as-heralded prospect Jarred Kelenic can also be hitting .353 inspring trainingg after struggling to hit simply .168 in two seasons on the major-league stage so far.
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