The Mariners are in the home stretch of their season, and they could be eliminated from playoff contention as early as Sunday, so why should you still be watching?
After a tough 5-3 loss against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night, the Seattle Mariners are now 72-83 on the season.
The disappointing game was just an extension of a disappointing season for the Mariners, who could be eliminated from the playoff race as early as Sunday afternoon.
A year that was supposed to culminate in a trip to the World Series has gone completely sideways, thanks to regressions from stars like Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor, and a full regression from the starting rotation, to a full implosion for the bullpen in the second half. The Mariners are also a poor defensive club and a bad baserunning team.
Add it all up and it looks like manager Dan Wilson won't be back in 2027. And with that, there will probably be some turnover on the staff as well, if not the entire staff.
So why should you still be watching over the final seven games of the season?
1) You love baseball
It sounds corny, but it's really that simple. You love baseball, and you love the Mariners. While you might be relieved when this frustrating season ends, you will miss having the nightly comfort of the Mariners eventually, and this time, because of the impending lockout, we don't know when they'll be back.
Soak it up while you've got it.
2) Development of young players
We are at that point of the season: It's time to play Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo as much as possible and just gather some more information for the 2027 season. Are they going to be part of the solution for you? Are they possible trade pieces to show off to other teams?
And of course, you want to see what happens with Kade Anderson. He's looked good in spots, and he's had some learning experiences along the way too. But he's going to be a huge part of 2027, and they want him to finish strong. He will want that as well.
3) Can your stars end strong?
Cal Raleigh hit a 459-foot home run on Saturday. More of that, please. Anything that brings momentum and confidence for Raleigh, Rodriguez and Naylor is a good thing heading into the offseason.
4) Can your rotation finish strong?
What we just said, but about Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo.
5) Salute to Rick Rizzs
The Mariners radio broadcaster of more than 40 years is hanging up the headset at the end of this season, and he deserves a week worth of support for all the memories.
Thanks, Rick. You were the soundtrack to so many of our Mariners-lives. It won't be the same without you.
*Does it matter if the Mariners win these games?
I invest my time, energy and emotion in the Mariners, so I'd like to see them win. But it doesn't really matter, ultimately.
Losing may actually be better because it will help in draft lottery positioning and may spur additional organizational change, but I'd like to see them win anyways.
But again, I don't think it really matters. With a new manager and a likely new coaching staff coming in, there won't be any momentum gained for them to point to. A new staff will come in and create its own energy.
I think individual player momentum is important for offseason confidence, but it doesn't apply to the team at large, and there will be roster turnover as well in the offseason, making the 2027 team further removed from what the 2026 team did.
Of note
We spoke to former Mariners infielder (and current broadcaster) Ryon Healy on another edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast this week. You can listen to that here, or you can watch in the YouTube player below.
