With just nine games left in the regular season, the Mariners are about to follow up a difficult year with a difficult offseason.
Make no mistake, I think we're headed for a long, lonely and difficult Major League Baseball offseason.
That's true for fans, who will get about one months worth of news between the conclusion of the World Series and the likely start of the MLB lockout (Dec. 1). At that point, the spigot will turn off and we'll be left wondering when baseball will return and what it will look like when it does return.
I also think it's true for the Seattle Mariners organization, who is going to have follow up a very trying season with an offseason full of difficult questions and conversations. And those conversations will take place against the backdrop of the idea that the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels will both likely get better in the next few years as a result of a move to Las Vegas (A's) and an ownership change (Angels).
So the biggest discussion for the Mariners? What is the direction of the franchise as a whole.
It's something I talked more about on the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast this week.
"And then there are questions about players on this roster and the overall direction the Mariners are going.
Are they going to try to run it back and just hope for better health and better performance, and hope that a new manager and/or a new staff can get the most out of this group? Maybe.
Are they going to make massive changes to the roster? Are they going to change their style of play?
CEO of Seattle Mariners John Stanton, left, talks to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred before ALDS Game 4 between Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesCan they spend more? Do they need to spend more? Especially if there's a salary cap and a salary floor? Do they want to get younger? Do they want more veteran presence? Is leadership an issue on this team, and if so, who are they getting to address those questions?
Those are lonely questions to answer, and given the parameters of this offseason, it's going to be really hard."
The Mariners entered the season with high expectations after getting to the American League Championship Series in 2025. Instead, Seattle has gone 71-82, is guaranteed to finish under .500 for the first time since 2020, and is facing a likely managerial change. The Mariners have one of the worst offenses in baseball, the worst bullpen since Aug. 1, and they've posted just one winning month the entire season.
Up next
The Mariners will kick off a series against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. Bryan Woo is scheduled to start that game for the M's.
Of note
The latest edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast with former M's infielder and current broadcaster Ryon Healy is out. You can listen here, or you can watch in the YouTube player below.
