The Seattle Mariners’ offseason already carries extra weight after a sharp drop-off from their 2025 run to the ALCS, where they pushed the Toronto Blue Jays to seven games. And while the possibility of manager Dan Wilson getting fired hangs over the club, one MLB analyst says Seattle may need to go a step further.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller believes the Mariners should look at a change in the hitting department, specifically by moving on from Kevin Seitzer.
“The bad news is that [Randy] Arozarena is one of the few bats that hasn't been a disaster in Seattle, and the Mariners need to figure out how to get Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor back to what they were in 2025 while also figuring out a 2027 plan for third base and left field," Miller wrote.
He also pointed to Seitzer’s uneven impact.
“Even though Kevin Seitzer worked more than fine as the hitting coach last season, he simply hasn't been the bat whisperer that they've needed this year," he added.
The biggest concern is Raleigh, who followed his 60-homer, top-two AL MVP finish in 2025 with a much rougher year. He has been better in August and September, but Seattle needs that production over the course of a full 162-game season.
A coaching change would not guarantee an offensive turnaround, but the Mariners’ numbers make the need for answers clear. Their .692 OPS is tied with the Cleveland Guardians for 28th in baseball, and their .232 batting average ranks 29th.
If Seattle can get its core back on track with a new hitting coach, the club could be back in the postseason mix next year.
In Other News...
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J.P. Crawford has spent this season in the middle of a Mariners infield that already feels like it is shifting under his feet. He is in the final season of his four-year deal and heading toward free agency, while the organization has not shown any public push to lock him up long term. Meanwhile, younger names are starting to press into the picture, with Colt Emerson among the infield prospects adding another layer to the conversation about what Seattle wants this group to look like going forward.
Crawford has still been asked to handle important work this year, moving between shortstop and third base while dealing with injuries. The problem for Seattle is that the fit is not as clean as it used to be, with his defensive numbers at shortstop sitting below average. For a club trying to balance present value against a possible next wave of infield talent, that leaves Crawford in an awkward spot and the Mariners with a decision they have not yet had to make publicly. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Suddenly Have A New Bullpen Worry At The Worst Time
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Eduard Bazardo handled the save situation in Muozs place and picked up the first save of his career, a useful moment for a bullpen that suddenly has to brace for a bigger question. Muoz has already had an uneven season, so the Mariners were already managing his role carefully, but any issue with the closer now carries extra weight with so little margin left for error. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Uniform Debate Just Got A Lot Harder To Ignore
The Rays plan to revive their road gray look in 2027 does more than stir up nostalgia in Tampa Bay. It also sharpens an odd little distinction in Seattle, where the Mariners are now the only club in baseball operating without a road gray uniform under MLBs current 4-plus-1 setup.
Seattles uniform closet is hardly bare. The Mariners already cycle through five sets, including their home whites, navy alternates, teal alternates, Steelheads alternates and a City Connect look, a mix that became even more streamlined when the Sunday cream uniforms were removed last offseason. Even so, with another team about to add gray back into the rotation, the Mariners outlier status is becoming harder to miss. [Read more 🡒]