The Seattle Mariners have seven games left, and the finish line can’t come fast enough after a season that has gone off the rails. Saturday night’s 5-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies dropped them to 72-83, and they could be out of playoff contention as early as Sunday afternoon.
That reality has turned the final stretch into something different. The postseason chase is nearly gone, and what’s left is less about the standings than about what these games can still tell the club about where it goes from here.
One reason to keep watching is the simplest one: if you love baseball, you’ll want to keep the nightly routine going a little longer. And if you love the Mariners, there’s a good chance you’ll miss them once the season ends. This year, with the looming lockout, there’s no clear answer on when they’ll be back.
The more practical reason is development. Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo need as much run as possible so the Mariners can get a better read on whether they fit into the 2027 picture.
That could mean future roles, or it could mean showing enough to become trade pieces. Kade Anderson is part of that conversation too.
He has looked good in spots and had his share of learning experiences, but the Mariners want him to finish strong because he figures to be a major piece in 2027.
There’s also still something to watch from the players already at the top of the roster. Cal Raleigh launched a 459-foot home run on Saturday, and that’s the kind of swing the Mariners would like to see more of before the season ends.
The same goes for Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor. Any momentum or confidence they can carry into the offseason matters.
The rotation has the same test in front of it. Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo all have a chance to close with purpose, and the Mariners would benefit from seeing strong finishes from that group.
There’s one more reason these last games matter: Rick Rizzs is wrapping up more than 40 years as the Mariners’ radio broadcaster at season’s end. He deserves a week of support for everything he has meant to the fan base.
Thanks, Rick. You were the soundtrack to so many of our Mariners-lives. It won't be the same without you.
As for whether the Mariners need to win these games, the answer is complicated only in the most emotional sense. Fans want to see victories, of course.
But with a new manager and likely a new coaching staff on the way, the results won’t really carry over as team momentum. What does matter more is what individual players do with the opportunity, especially with more roster turnover likely coming in the offseason.
In Other News...
J.P. Crawford Puts Mariners Infield Future In An Awkward Spot
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
Andrs Muozs night ended early against the Rockies after the Mariners closer felt discomfort in his left knee, a development that instantly put a tense stretch of late-season baseball under a brighter spotlight. Dan Wilson said Muoz felt something in the knee and that the club would do further imaging to get a clearer read on the injury, leaving Seattle to sort through the next step without much immediate certainty.
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 🡒]