Both Mariners players finished in the Top-10 of American League MVP voting, so what will they do for an encore?
After winning the American League West for the first time since 2001 in 2025, there are real questions about how the Seattle Mariners go about winning it again in 2026.
The M's have to figure out how they re-sign or replace Eugenio Suarez and Jorge Polanco in the lineup, how they add to the bullpen, if their starting rotation will stay healthy and perform closer to how they did in 2024, and more.
Among those "and more" questions is how do Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez back up their incredible seasons next year? Is it possible for them to improve? How do the M's handle a possible regression from either player? Even scarier, how do they overcome a possible injury?
With just 2.5 months remaining until spring training, so far, the projections on both players look pretty good.
Cal Raleigh
Raleigh finished second in the American League MVP voting in 2025 after hitting 60 home runs and driving in 125 runs. He put together the greatest offensive season any catcher ever has, and he's turned himself into one of the best offensive players in the American League.
According to the Steamer projections, which were put out this past weekend, Raleigh is predicted to hit .230 in 2026 with 38 homers and 91 RBIs. He's projected to a 5.6 WAR, which would be tied for third in the American League.
Obviously, the home runs and RBIs would be significantly less than a season ago, but the Mariners will hope that a full season of Josh Naylor will help offset those potential losses.
Bringing back Suarez and/or Polanco would help offset the rest.
Julio Rodriguez
Though he remains incredibly streaky at the plate, Rodriguez turned in another outstanding season in 2025, hitting .267 with 32 homers, 95 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He had a 128 OPS+ and finished sixth in the MVP voting.
Steamer has him ticketed for a .275 average, 30 homers, 91 RBIs and 23 stolen bases. The model also has him projected for a 5.6 WAR, tying with Raleigh and Gunnar Henderson.
Up next
The Mariners will join the rest of baseball at the winter meetings in Orlando, which kick off on Dec. 7. While most of the offseason has been muted thus far, the winter meetings are expected to be chaotic, and we could get answers on Polanco and Suarez's future at that time. Both players are expected to get modest deals.
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