The Seattle Mariners are still reeling from the season-ending 4-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

It was the first time since the franchise was established in 1977 that the team was one win away from the World Series. Instead, the M's had to stomach the disappointment and returned home to the Pacific Northwest still as the only club in MLB not to win a pennant.

The disappointment was palpable from the players to the front office. In respective end-of-season news scrums, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander expressed disappointment in the season ending.

Despite the downtrodden demeanor of both front office executives, they also gave something of a mission statement: this year wasn't a one-and-done and was the beginning of something special.

The front office will have more money to spend than in the offseason than previous years in efforts of making that statement a reality.

Money has been the common narrative for the Mariners in previous offseasons, or rather the lack thereof.

Mariners principal owner John Stanton was absent from the end-of-season news conferences. His and the rest of ownership's demeanor toward the season the team had could be the determining factor whether the team returns to and exceeds the heights it did this year.

Dipoto and Hollander have been almost handcuffed by payroll restrictions in this year, and many fans have been wondering if that conservative spending mindset has changed with the team on the cusp of being a World Series team.

Fans got their answer to that question on Sunday.

Stanton took out a full-page add in the Seattle Times sharing a message to the fans about the season, and the team's direction going forward:

"There's no sugar coating it. I'm heartbroken at the way the season ended. We've never come closer to bringing our first World Series to Seattle. I know how much our players, coaching staff and front office wanted this for you.
On behalf of everyone in our organization, thank you for the passionate support, energy, rally shoes, moustaches, magic spells and joy you brought to the ballpark all season long.
From Opening Day to the last out of the ALCS, you cheered so loud that you created measurable seismic activity. You stayed on your feet for 15 innings. You showed up with signs, you brought out our players for curtain calls and you started dance parties on the sidewalks after games.
And when the team arrived home at 3 a.m. after the toughest return flight of their careers, you were there to greet us at the airport and the ballpark with 'thank you' signs. They saw all of it. They heard all of it. They felt all of it. We all did. We play for you, and you pushed our team to heights we have never reached before.
The Northwest deserves a World Series. I know we are going to get there. This is the beginning of a special era of Mariners Baseball. There is work to do to take that final step. That work starts now.
We can't wait to get back to T-Mobile Park with all of you. Thank you again for being the best fans in baseball.
Go Mariners!"

RELATED MARINERS STORIES

MARINERS PROJECTED TO HAVE MORE MONEY TO SPEND THAN PREVIOUS OFFSEASONS: The Mariners will reportedly have $30 million to spend in the offseason. CLICK HERE

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SEATTLE MARINERS EXECUTIVE TALKS ABOUT TEAM'S OFFSEASON NEEDS: Jerry Dipoto discussed the team's needs and priorities before the 2026 season begins. CLICK HERE

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