2025 Seattle Mariners Preview: A Roster in Need of Answers

There was a moment. A defining, cathartic moment.

September 30, 2022. Cal Raleigh swung, the ball soared, and Seattle erupted. A walk-off home run that sent the Mariners back to the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. It was supposed to be the start of something.

Instead, the next two seasons ended in heartbreak. The Mariners missed the playoffs by the slimmest of margins twice, watching October from home despite boasting one of the most dominant pitching staffs in baseball.

Now, 2025 presents another chance—but with largely the same roster.

A Rotation That Deserves Better

If great starting pitching wins championships, then Seattle should already have a banner hanging at T-Mobile Park.

• First in MLB in ERA (3.38).
• First in innings pitched (942.2).
• First in opponent batting average (.211).
• First in WHIP (1.03).

The numbers tell the story. Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo did everything possible.

• 149 of the team’s 162 starts came from that group.
• Three of them—Castillo, Gilbert, and Kirby—were workhorses.
• Miller made the leap. Woo may be next.

This wasn’t just one of the best rotations in baseball—it was the most important. And yet, they finished just 59-50 when credited as pitchers of record. Because when Seattle scored at least three runs at home, they went 43-7. That means, in 31 of their 81 home games, the Mariners couldn’t muster three runs. A dominant rotation. A lifeless offense. The formula wasn’t sustainable.

2025 Mariners Projected Rotation

The Seattle Mariners Have The Best Rotation In Major League Baseball. pic.twitter.com/KoAgpz1P0G

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) March 7, 2025

The Strikeout Problem

It wasn’t just that Seattle’s lineup struggled—it was how they struggled.

• They led the AL in strikeout rate (nearly 27%).
• Only the Colorado Rockies, with the unique challenge of Coors Field, were worse.
• Their .224 batting average ranked second-worst in baseball—above only the 121-loss White Sox.

That was supposed to change.

• Mike Ford (32.3% K rate) was let go.
• Jarred Kelenic (31.7%) was traded.
• Teoscar Hernández (31.1%) and Eugenio Suárez (30.8%) departed.

Yet, the strikeout numbers got worse.

The only silver lining? Seattle was fourth in walk rate, trailing only the Yankees in the AL. That allowed them to salvage some of their lost plate appearances.

But the inability to put the ball in play—especially in key moments—doomed them.

A Late-Season Shift?

The Mariners finally showed offensive life in September after making a critical change:

• Scott Servais was let go.
• Dan Wilson took over as manager.
• Edgar Martínez became the temporary hitting coach.

The results?

• Third in MLB in wOBA.
• Second in wRC+.
• Lowered strikeout rate to 23.1%.

They didn’t sacrifice power. They didn’t change their approach drastically. They simply put more balls in play.

Now, Martínez is the team’s Senior Director of Hitting Strategy, and Kevin Seitzer, formerly of the Braves, takes over as hitting coach.

2025 Mariners Projected Lineup

Did Jerry Dipoto Bet on the Right Fix?

Seattle’s offseason was quiet. Too quiet.

• No blockbuster trades.
• No high-priced free-agent signings.
• No major shakeups.

Instead, the front office is banking on internal improvement.

It’s a risky proposition.

The Mariners have an elite rotation, a solid bullpen, and a defense that can hold its own.

But the offense? It remains a giant question mark.

The path back to the playoffs is there.

The pitching will keep them in games.

The offense must finally reward them.

Because if 2025 ends the same way as the last two seasons, the frustration in Seattle may reach a breaking point.