The Mariners may want to enjoy these next seven games against the Angels while they can, because the matchup that has been so friendly to Seattle could be headed for a very different future.
Since 2021, the Mariners have been one of only four Major League teams to win at least 85 games in every season, and their ability to consistently handle the Angels has been part of that run. Seattle has piled up the fourth-most wins against Anaheim of any team over that stretch, and it’s 4-2 against the Halos this year with seven meetings still left on the schedule.
But Tuesday’s news changes the tone around the AL West in a major way: Arte Moreno is selling the Angels to billionaire Stan Kroenke. That alone is enough to turn heads, and not just because the Angels are about to have the richest owner in Major League Baseball.
Money does not guarantee anything in this sport, of course. The Mets are the clearest reminder of that, with Steve Cohen - the richest owner in the majors before Tuesday - managing only two playoff appearances in five seasons as majority owner, and his team sitting last in the NL East right now.
Kroenke, though, brings a different kind of track record. America’s largest private landowner has built a sports empire that has repeatedly delivered championships, with the Rams, Nuggets and Avalanche all becoming powers in recent seasons. Arsenal also snapped 22 years of frustration in May by winning the Premier League title.
Moreno’s early years in Anaheim were not all empty, either. He guided the Angels to the playoffs in five of his first seven seasons as owner.
But that success faded fast. The club is on the verge of a 12th straight season and 16th in 17 years without a postseason berth, and even Mike Trout’s resume under Moreno tells the story - the three-time AL MVP has reached the playoffs only once.
Trout may not still be around when Kroenke’s influence fully takes hold, depending on how much longer he plays. But the shift in ownership gives Angels fans real reason to believe the future could look different.
For the Mariners, that’s the unsettling part. The easy road in the AL West may be getting a lot rougher.
In Other News...
Mariners Take A Chance On A Former Top Prospect With Upside
The Mariners added a familiar kind of lottery ticket to their pitching depth, signing right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson to a minor-league contract and sending him to Triple-A Tacoma. Once regarded as one of the better young arms in the system, Woods Richardson has already seen the majors with both the Blue Jays and Twins, and his path has taken him through a designation for assignment by Toronto before he elected free agency.
For Seattle, the move fits the sort of low-cost gamble contenders often make when they believe there is still something to unlock. Woods Richardson gives the organization another arm to evaluate in Tacoma, where the Mariners can keep a close eye on a pitcher who made his big-league debut in 2022 and is still young enough to factor if the stuff and command come together again. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Just Created A Connor Joe Question Fans Can't Ignore
The Mariners latest roster shuffle left Connor Joe in a familiar but uneasy spot. After Seattle designated Joe and right-hander Nolan Kingham for assignment to make room for Lzaro Montes and Hoby Milner on the 40-man roster, both players cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma, keeping the move from being the end of the road for either player just yet.
Joe now has a decision to make, since he has the right to elect free agency, and the Mariners have not indicated whether he plans to stay in the organization or test the market. Kinghams path is more straightforward because his service time means he has to accept the assignment, but Joes situation is the one that lingers for Seattle, where every roster spot matters and every fringe move can hint at what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners May Have Found A Better Use For Their Latest Pitching Add
The Mariners added another arm to their system by signing right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson to a minor-league deal and sending him to Triple-A Tacoma. Most of his big-league work has come as a starter, but he has also handled multiple roles this season, which makes him an interesting fit for a Seattle pitching staff that suddenly needs more flexibility.
With rotation depth thinned by an injury, the appeal here is less about where Woods Richardson has traditionally worked and more about where he might help most. Seattle can use pitching in just about any form right now, and his ability to cover innings gives the club another option if it wants to patch a game together out of the bullpen or lean on a bulk reliever while the roster sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]