The Mariners walked off the field Tuesday night with the same ugly result they’ve been carrying too often lately, a 4-1 loss to the Yankees that dropped them to a season-worst eight games under .500. With that, the path to the postseason looks even narrower, and the question hanging over this team is simple: can they stay afloat long enough to get to September?
That matters because the stretch in front of them is unforgiving. They still have two more games against a Yankees club sitting in the top AL wild card spot, and after that comes a run of four straight series against teams currently in playoff positions.
The Astros, Brewers, Cubs and Phillies are next on the docket. Calling it a soft landing would be laughable, especially with the Mariners fresh off a sweep at the hands of the Rays.
August is already a grind, and for Seattle it’s shaping up to be a brutal one. But if the Mariners can somehow keep themselves within range, September could hand them a very different kind of slate. Instead of the Rays, Yankees and Brewers, they’d be looking at the Athletics, Angels and Rockies - 17 games against the three worst records in the majors.
That doesn’t erase how rough 2026 has been. The offense has been the biggest drag, and it sits last in baseball in runs scored per game.
Even so, the Mariners have at least managed to go 31-31 against teams with losing records. They’ve also been solid specifically against the Athletics and Angels, posting an 8-4 mark combined.
There’s also a recent history here that gives Seattle a reason to believe a strong September isn’t some fantasy. From 2021 through 2025, the Mariners posted a .582 winning percentage in September, tied for fifth-best in the majors. That late-season surge has helped make them one of only four teams to win 85 or more games in each of those seasons.
For all of that, the next step is surviving the present. Getting Carlos Vargas, Matt Brash and Cooper Criswell back would go a long way toward stabilizing the bullpen, though Criswell may not return until early September.
J.P. Crawford, who has been heavily criticized, would also be a welcome addition off the Injured List, both on the field and in the clubhouse.
The roster could get another boost soon from the youth side, with Kade Anderson, Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo likely to provide some energy in one combination or another. If that sounds a little too hopeful given where things stand, so be it. The schedule says there’s still a chance, and September is the part of the calendar the Mariners badly need to reach.
In Other News...
Cal Raleigh Just Sparked A Bigger Mariners Blame Debate
Cal Raleigh didnt try to pass the buck after another rough stretch for the Mariners. Instead, the catcher owned his own performance, acknowledged the offense has fallen short and suggested the group needs to make some adjustments in how it is going about its business. In a season where the lineup has too often stalled, that kind of blunt self-assessment stands out because it comes with a clear message about where the accountability starts.
Raleigh also drew a line around the larger conversation, defending the front office and coaching staff while saying the players are the ones responsible for the teams current problems. For a Mariners club already dealing with bigger questions about roster construction and decision-making, his comments sharpen an old debate rather than settle it. The tension now is whether that internal message sparks a real change in approach, or simply adds another layer to the pressure surrounding a team that still has to prove it can turn frustration into results. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Pressure Is Rising Around Dan Wilson And His Staff
The Angels latest round of coaching changes offered a familiar reminder of how quickly a season can turn into a referendum on the people in the dugout. After poor results piled up, Los Angeles moved on from pitching coach Mike Maddux, bullpen coach Dom Chiti and assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott, and the explanation included concern that the staff was not making enough use of available technology. It was another example of an organization deciding the message had to change when the performance did not.
For the Mariners, that kind of shakeup is only going to sharpen the attention already circling Dan Wilson and his staff. Seattles struggles have put Wilson under scrutiny, and the hitting side has not escaped it, with Edgar Martinez and Kevin Seitzer part of the conversation as the club looks for answers. Other teams, including the Phillies and Red Sox, have already shown how quickly front offices will redraw the map when results lag, and that is the backdrop hanging over Seattle now. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Add Catching Insurance Behind Cal Raleigh
The Mariners added a little catching depth to the organization this week, claiming Willie MacIver off waivers from the Blue Jays and sending him to Triple-A Tacoma. It is a straightforward move on the surface, but one that fits the kind of roster housekeeping contending clubs often do when they want to keep the position insulated without forcing a bigger shuffle at the major league level.
MacIver gives Seattle another name to stash in the system behind Cal Raleigh and the rest of the current catching group, with the club having room on its 40-man roster to make the claim. The Blue Jays had just designated MacIver for assignment after picking him up from the Rangers, so the Mariners were able to jump in and add an experienced depth option while leaving the bigger question of how far he might climb in the organization for later. [Read more 🡒]