The Seattle Mariners are walking into a week that could shape the rest of their season.
They open a nine-game homestand Friday night at T-Mobile Park with the first of three games against the Minnesota Twins at 7:10 p.m. PT, and the timing couldn’t be more loaded.
The homestand stretches across three series - against the Twins, Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays - and it lands right on top of the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.
That means the Mariners could be dealing with two kinds of reinforcements at once: whatever help comes through the trade market, plus the return of 2025 All-Star utility player Brendan Donovan. Donovan is expected back the day after the deadline on Tuesday and will be activated before Seattle’s second series of the homestand against the Tigers.
For a club trying to climb back into the American League West race, the setup is about as favorable as it gets. Seattle entered Friday at 53-57, sitting third in the division and 2.5 games behind first place. The Rangers and Astros, the two teams ahead of them, are scheduled to play a three-game series this weekend, which only adds to the sense that the standings could shift quickly.
Dan Wilson knows the window is tight, but he also knows the door is still open.
“This is a division that we've seen is still completely up for grabs," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Friday at T-Mobile Park. This is something that we have to get after it and get going, get ourselves consistent.
Energy comes from a lot of different places. Obviously, the next three days is an interesting time in all of baseball.
We'll see how everything goes. ... I'm optimistic about where our guys are, the headspace they're in, getting back home and getting started on this homestand tonight."
The challenge is real. Seattle’s August schedule ranks among the toughest strength of schedules in the American League, which makes every game in this stretch carry a little more weight. The Mariners don’t have much time left to find traction, and they need it fast if they’re going to make a late push.
Still, there’s a sense inside the clubhouse that the next wave of help could matter. Between Donovan’s return and whatever the front office does before the deadline, Seattle has a chance to inject some life into a season that has been searching for it. If the Mariners can turn this homestand into three series wins, they could create the kind of momentum that has eluded them for most of the year.
In Other News...
Mariners Still Have One Deadline Problem Even After Kirby Stepped Up
George Kirby gave the Mariners exactly the kind of night they needed, working seven scoreless innings in a win over the Twins that ended 7-6 on a walk-off. For a team trying to steady itself in the final days before the trade deadline, it was the sort of start that can change the mood in a hurry, especially with the rotation and bullpen both under the microscope.
Seattle has already made a notable move by sending Luis Castillo to the White Sox and bringing in Seranthony Domnguez for relief help, but the deadline picture is still not finished. The expectation around the club is that more deals are coming, and Kirbys outing only sharpened the question of what else needs to be addressed if the Mariners want to keep pace in a tight race. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Just Lost Infield Depth In A Move Fans Will Debate
The Mariners quietly trimmed their infield options last week when Buddy Kennedy was designated for assignment, and now he is gone from the organization entirely. The San Francisco Giants claimed the infielder off waivers, adding a familiar depth piece who has already spent time with both clubs this season and is expected to help them cover the infield as needed.
For Seattle, it is another small but noticeable loss of roster flexibility at a spot where injuries and performance can force constant shuffling. Kennedy never got much runway in the majors with the Mariners, but moves like this still matter because they can leave a club thinner than it expected when the inevitable need for backup infield help arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Randy Arozarena Deadline Decision Fans Will Feel
Seattle spent part of the deadline reshaping its roster by moving Luis Castillo to the Chicago White Sox for two minor league players and a reliever, and that kind of change always opens the door to more calls before the market closes. Randy Arozarena is among the names drawing interest, which is no surprise for a player with his track record and the kind of profile contenders tend to chase.
The Mariners have at least been willing to hear out trade inquiries, even if Arozarena does not appear to be headed anywhere. He has been through enough moves already to know the uncertainty that comes with this stretch, and he has made clear his focus stays on production rather than whatever the front office decides. For Seattle, the question is less about whether the chatter exists and more about whether it turns into one more late twist fans will have to absorb. [Read more 🡒]