COLUMN: Mariners season was a success

I imagine for any Mariners fan, Monday night had a bitter ending. From a 3-1 lead to a three-run homer that flipped the momentum on its head, the Mariners fell just short of what would have been their first World Series appearance.   

Though it may be too soon, I think it’s important to still acknowledge the season that the Mariners had. It’s hard to watch your favorite team fall short of making the championship game of their respective sport. Especially in the Mariners' case, where historical implications were at play.   

However, the season the Mariners had should be remembered for a long time. From an outsider's perspective, I saw a lot of things that indicated a promising future for this franchise.  

Ahead of the trade deadline, hitting 90 wins felt like it would take some work. Their start to the season was strong, but the Mariners had yet to separate themselves from the middle of the pack. Across the Mariners' fanbase and mainstream sports media, there were calls for the Mariners to make a move at the trade deadline.   

Several names floated around, and there was some uncertainty whether they would make a move at all. However, they traded for Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks. From there, it felt like the Mariners' quality of play elevated to a new level. They started to win more at home and on the road. As the second half of the season continued, they began to climb the standings in the American League.   

Watching the growth of this team throughout the season left me feeling confident in where this team is heading. Time will tell, but this franchise showed a strong interest in investing in its resources to build a championship team. It will be interesting to see what they do in the offseason to secure their core players and retool their roster around them.   

One player the Mariners locked down until 2030 is Cal ‘Big Dumper’ Raleigh. The season he had was truly historic and MVP-like. He finished with 60 home runs, 125 RBI’s and .948 on base plus slugging. Raleigh broke out as one of the best players in baseball this season.   

As their offseason begins, the Mariners need to get the ball rolling on retaining Suarez and Naylor. Those two are set to become unrestricted free agents, and the impact they made on the Mariners' season undoubtedly makes them attractive to other teams that are looking to retool their own rosters. Locking them down to their books for at least a few more seasons sends a message that this franchise is destined to compete for championships every year.   

My baseball knowledge is still developing, so admittedly, I can’t offer much in draft talk. However, it’s a universal sentiment that having a successful draft can make all the difference for a franchise. The Mariners are poised to make the right moves this offseason to build off a magical 2025 season.   

As a football first guy, baseball has never been something that drew much interest from me. Growing up, I played a little bit of tee-ball; however, it didn’t last too long. As I have become more accustomed to the Mariners this season, they have made a baseball fan out of me.   

Maybe I’ll see what the Cincinnati Reds are up to next year ... or just stick with the Mariners.  

Fans need to celebrate what they accomplished this year. The Mariners' future looks bright.