SEATTLE (AP) — Dan Wilson, now clean-shaven after shaving off his playoff mustache following Seattle’s Game 7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series, carried the heavy feeling of how close the Mariners came to their first-ever World Series appearance.
“It hurts, and I told the team that after the game,” the Mariners manager said Thursday. “I don’t know how long that feeling will linger. For many of us, it’s a tough way to see such an incredible season end, and in some ways, it overshadows all the positives we achieved.”
A lot went right for the Seattle Mariners during their remarkable run to their first AL West crown since 2001, but the franchise’s search for its first-ever World Series appearance continues.
Catcher Cal Raleigh delivered a historic campaign, becoming just the seventh player in MLB history to hit 60 home runs in a single season. His power surge solidified his candidacy for American League MVP honors in his first year after signing a six-year, $105 million contract.
“The sheer number of records he started breaking — it was an extraordinary year,” said Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto. “If it wasn’t the best season a catcher’s ever had, it’s easily among the top two. I honestly don’t know what more he could’ve done.”
With Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez both signed long-term, Seattle enters the offseason facing key roster decisions involving several core contributors from 2025.
Third baseman Eugenio Suárez and first baseman Josh Naylor, both trade-deadline acquisitions from the Arizona Diamondbacks, are now free agents. Dipoto emphasized that the Mariners plan to address first base this winter, calling Naylor’s return a priority.
“You need that fire and determination,” manager Dan Wilson said. “Josh brought incredible energy and a drive to win that really lifted this team. That’s the kind of mentality we’ll need from everyone if we’re going to keep building on this.”
The team also faces a decision at third base. The Mariners could hand the reins to rookie Ben Williamson, who debuted in 2025 and held the position before Suárez’s arrival.
“We’re going to have to be a bit more selective in how we integrate our young players,” Dipoto said. “But they’re going to be a huge part of what we’re doing — both now and in the future.”
At second base, Jorge Polanco holds a $6 million player option for next season, though his resurgent performance could position him for a more lucrative deal elsewhere.
“I can’t speak for him,” Dipoto said. “But it’s likely we’ll have to explore an alternative path to what’s currently on the table.”
No matter how the Mariners approach their offseason decisions on Suárez, Naylor, and Polanco, the organization’s goal is clear: ensure that this season — one of the most successful in franchise history — becomes the foundation of something lasting, not a fleeting success.
Wilson, who caught for Seattle’s ALCS teams in 1995 and 2001, said he’s confident in the resilience and makeup of this group.
“I’m not worried about that with our guys,” Wilson said. “They’re fighters. They’ve proven it time and again — especially down the stretch in September and into the playoffs. That fight is what it takes to reach the World Series, and I believe this team has it.”
