The Seattle Mariners had a ten-game lead in the American League West after a win on June 18. They had an 86% chance of winning the division and a 91.7% chance of making the playoffs, according to Fangraphs. By the All-Star Break the next month, their lead was just one. Their 33-30 record after the break was not enough to beat the Astros in the AL West. The biggest issue for the Mariners was offense, especially at home at T-Mobile Park, where it is hard to hit. Julio Rodriguez and crew need to fix that fatal flaw during the 2025 season.
Rodriguez had his worst season in the major leagues last year, which was still an above-average offensive campaign. The Mariners centerfielder posted a .734 OPS, an 84-point decrease from the year before. Even after they added Randy Arozarena at the trade deadline, they could not take a step forward offensively.
At the end of the season, the Mariners had a team batting average of .224, the second-lowest in the Major Leagues. The only team with a worse batting average was the Chicago White Sox, the worst team in AL/NL history. Part of the reason is T-Mobile Park, the home of the Mariners and the hardest park to hit in across baseball.
With that big and glaring need on their roster, the Mariners were connected to slugger Pete Alonso in free agency but did not have the money to land him. That is the core issue with the team, as they have money tied up in great pitching but did not spread the wealth to the offense.
The Mariners have made one big move toward improving their offensive coaching in 2025. Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez joined Dan Wilson’s staff late in the season and should help this current core.
The Mariners need great coaching and one more big name
Martinez has as much success hitting in what is now known as T-Mobile Park as anyone not named Griffey. His final six seasons in the league were all played in this building and he posted a .918 OPS. That is higher than any player in an individual season since Nelson Cruz in 2017. If he can push Rodriguez and Arozarena to the next level, he will cement himself even more in Mariners’ history.
In an AL West with great offense and pitching, the Mariners could use another big bat for the middle of their lineup. Cal Raleigh has had great offensive seasons but you cannot count on a 119 OPS+ from a catcher. With free agency options dried up, they tried to trade for Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. His no-trade clause has prevented that trade from happening but with the Cardinals predicted to struggle, he could waive it for a competitive team.
The biggest name that could be traded this season is White Sox centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. While the Mariners have a centerfielder in Rodriguez, they need offense badly enough that it would still be worth it. If Mitch Haniger, Arozarena, or Victor Robles struggle early in the season, they should make the deal for Robert.
But the odds are that the Mariners won’t add either player. Not only because Arenado can use his no-trade clause, but because a lot of teams will be looking to add both by mid-season. That puts the pressure on coaching, which just underwent a massive change in August. Scott Servais was fired in favor of Wilson, who brought in Martinez and a whole new staff.
The Mariners open the season with a 57.2% chance of making the playoffs, per FanGraphs. If their hitting improves, they could win the division this year.
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