Two runs. One win.

That was how close the Seattle Mariners were to making the first World Series in its 48-year history.

Instead, the Mariners' season came to an end in a 4-3 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday. Seattle had to watch Toronto celebrate its first pennant in 23 years while the M's remained the only team in the MLB not to make a World Series.

It was a heartbreaking loss for all involved in the Mariners dugout. Franchise superstar had an emotional response in the clubhouse after the game, manager Dan Wilson had to field questions and respond to criticism on putting reliever Eduard Bazardo in the game instead of All-Star closer Andres Munoz — Bazardo gave up a go-ahead and eventual game-winning three-run home run to George Springer — and catcher Cal Raleigh, who hard arguably the best season by a catcher in MLB history, called the season a "failure."

The emotions are understandable. This was a team that finally slayed the American League West dragon that was the Houston Astros, co-opted the phrase "seize the moment" as a rallying cry from Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki's jersey retirement speech, fought through injuries to its starting rotation and outfield. And ... nothing. No pennant, no ring. Just disappointment.

And now, it's on the front office and ownership to put this team in the best position to not have a repeat of those emotions in 2026.

This was the most successful team in franchise history. No other squad was one game away from the World Series. Not the Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez-led Mariners of the 90s, not the 116-win club of 2001, not the '22 playoff-drought breaking squad. This club.

It won't be an easy task keeping the club together. Trade deadline acquisitions Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez are set to be free agents. Jorge Polanco, who had his vesting option activate to a $6 million player option, likely could decline the option and earn more money for a contender elsewhere.

Suarez and Polanco's respective ages (34 and 32-years-old) and the price they'll command likely takes them off the board for Seattle. Which leaves the top free agency priority to be Naylor.

Naylor has a market value of roughly three years, $45.3 million per Spotrac. He'll likely command more due to the lack of All-Star caliber first basemen available next offseason (Naylor, Pete Alonso and Munetaka Murakami are expected to be the headliners).

Naylor scored seven runs in 12 playoff games and hit two doubles and three home runs with five RBIs. He slashed .340/.392/.574 with a .966 OPS.

The ownership showed more willingness this season to let the front office make the moves needed to get the club to the ALCS.

In addition to the trade deadline acquisitions of Naylor, Suarez and reliever Caleb Ferguson, Seattle brought in outfielder Leody Taveras off waivers in efforts to fill in at right field in place of Victor Robles.

That experiment ended up failing, and Taveras was sent outright to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on June 13 and spent the rest of the year there.

But that move to bring in Taveras, plus cutting bait with struggling players like Rowdy Tellez, Donovan Solano and Dylan Moore, showed ownership's was more accepting of eating money and cost, even in instances of moves that failed to pan out.

As to the Mariners' projected open positions of third base, second base and right field, that's a bigger question mark.

There are high-end free agent options, like the aforementioned Murakami, Gleyber Torres, Willi Castro, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker, and several more that could be bargains.

The best option would to bring in one-to-two "cheap" free agents in addition to Naylor, and having an open competition for second and third base and right field in spring training.

The organization's top prospect, Colt Emerson, is knocking on the door after a solid end to the season in Triple-A. He was on the team's postseason taxi squad.

Emerson projects as a shortstop, but has the range to fill in at third base until he's ready to take over the reins at shortstop.

Second base could be an open competition with rookie Cole Young, Ryan Bliss (who spent most of the year on the injured list with torn left biceps and a torn right meniscus) and top 100 prospect Michael Arroyo. 

Right Field can also be a competition between Dominic Canzone, Robles and top 100 prospect Lazaro Montes. A free agent could fit into those competitions as the team sees fit.

There are several paths in front of the Mariners they can pursue in efforts of getting back to the ALCS and, eventually the World Series.

Monday can't be the end. It needs to be the beginning.

RELATED MARINERS STORIES

MARINERS CATCHER MAKES MLB HISTORY WITH HOME RUN IN GAME 7 OF ALCS: Cal Raleigh continued his historic season in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on Monday. CLICK HERE

HISTORY ON MARINERS SIDE FOR GAME 7 OF ALCS: The most promising season in Seattle Mariners history will come down to a winner-take-all game, but teams in the Mariners' position have done well in those scenarios. CLICK HERE

LOCAL HOCKEY TEAM REPRESENTS MARINERS IN RECENT TRIP TO TORONTO: The Seattle Kraken represented the Mariners and took a win over their own respective Toronto rivals, the Maple Leafs. CLICK HERE

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