When ESPN’s Jeff Passan picked the Seattle Mariners as MLB’s biggest disappointment of 2026, he left the New York Mets in the runner-up spot for one simple reason: the Mets at least have some real reasons to feel better about what comes next.
Passan’s answer centered on the gap between expectation and reality. Seattle came into the year with far more to lose, and instead of building on last season’s near-miss, the club slid hard. The Mets have had their own miserable stretch, but their rookie class has given them something tangible to point toward.
“Biggest disappointment: Seattle Mariners,” Passan writes. “This could've been the New York Mets, but considering the excellent rookie seasons turned in by Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing -- who very easily could combine with Juan Soto to form the best outfield in baseball as soon as next season -- at least the Mets have something positive to say about 2026.”
That contrast is what separates the two clubs in Passan’s eyes. New York can point to Carson Benge, A.J.
Ewing, Nolan McLean, and other young players as part of the future picture. Seattle, meanwhile, has spent 2026 producing far fewer bright spots.
Cal Raleigh has regressed and been a major disappointment. Julio Rodriguez hasn’t looked like the star he seemed to be earlier in his career.
The rotation, which was expected to carry the team, has fallen short. On top of that, offseason additions Josh Naylor, Brendan Donovan, and others have also underperformed.
There’s even more uncertainty ahead. Randy Arozarena is headed for free agency and could leave, creating another hole for a lineup that already has too many issues.
Seattle does have some young talent worth watching, including Cole Young, Kade Anderson, and Colt Emerson. But that hasn’t been enough to soften the blow of a season that has gone sideways.
The Mets’ disappointment lands differently because they sold at the deadline, added some useful pieces for the future, and still have reasons to believe 2027 and beyond can look better. The Mariners don’t have that same cushion, especially after missing the postseason in a weak AL West.
A year after coming within one win of the World Series, Seattle’s drop-off has been the harsher story. That’s why Passan put the Mariners at the top of his disappointment list, with the outlook for 2027 and beyond looking far less certain than the one facing the Mets.
In Other News...
Mariners Let One Cal Raleigh Problem Drag On Too Long
The Mariners rough 2026 stretch has been traced back by some observers to the World Baseball Classic in March, when Cal Raleigh and Paul Skenes were among the players trying to balance a high-profile international stage with the demands of an upcoming season. Skenes has already acknowledged the event might have played a role in his own struggles, and Raleighs early slump and oblique injury have been part of the same conversation as Seattle looked for answers.
Still, the WBC is only part of the story. There has been skepticism around whether it was truly the main cause of Raleighs problems, especially with other factors at play and the Mariners taking too long to make the kind of adjustments that might have steadied things sooner. For a team that needed a cleaner start, the uncertainty around where the real issue began has only made the season feel harder to untangle. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Could Face A Much Bigger Randy Arozarena Problem This Winter
Randy Arozarena gave the Mariners exactly the kind of impact they were hoping for in 2026, and now the reward for that success may be a winter full of uncertainty. With free agency looming, Seattle has reason to brace for a market that could move quickly once clubs start lining up for one of the more proven bats available, especially after a season that reminded everyone how much he can change an offense.
The Red Sox are already mentioned as a possible front-runner, and the possibility of a big contract puts Seattle in a difficult spot even before the offseason officially gets rolling. If Arozarena leaves, the Mariners will need to weigh a wide range of alternatives, from free agents such as Seiya Suzuki or Ian Happ to trade possibilities like Gunnar Henderson, Elly De La Cruz and Ronald Acua Jr., which tells you just how big the hole could be if they lose him. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Still Have One Satisfying Chance Left This Week
The Mariners head into the final week of the regular season with their playoff path nearly sealed off, but there is still a little meaning left in the schedule. Seattle opens a series at home against the Astros, who are chasing a wild card spot, and even in a season that has gone sideways, the matchup gives the Mariners something to play for beyond the standings.
Rick Rizzs has long been part of the fabric of Mariners baseball, and the week offers one more chance for fans to lean into that connection while watching Seattle potentially complicate Houstons postseason push. It is not the kind of late-September drama the Mariners wanted, but for a team on the edge of elimination, this series still carries a satisfying edge. [Read more 🡒]