As the American League Divisional Series is about to get underway and the Tigers face a very stern test in the recently high flying Seattle Mariners. This is only the Mariners second postseason appearance
since their classic but ultimately disappointing 2001 squad. The Tigers have made a lot more appearances, but we know about that disappointment. In fact, in years without the Tigers in the postseason, many of us would be rooting for the Mariners.
Eric Sanford, writer at SB Nation’s Seattle Mariners site, Lookout Landing, took a little time out to answer our questions about the Mariners and their September surge to the second seed in the American League.
1. The Mariners finished the season on a huge run. Was the fanbase happy with the trade deadline moves, and did they have much impact on the strong finish?
I think it’s hard to overstate the impact of this season’s deadline moves. Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez are best two bats the Mariners have ever acquired at the deadline. In 2022, they went big and traded for Luis Castillo right before the deadline and that helped their playoff stretch run a ton, but the 2025 team needed two extra good bats like nobody’s business.
I’ve said this on social media and elsewhere, but the 2025 Mariners do not make the playoffs without the acquisition of Naylor and Suárez. In fact, on our staff, I was the most pessimistic about this roster’s prospects at the beginning of the season as constructed and marked them for 85 wins. Extremely happy to be wrong, thanks to bringing back the Vibes King Eugenio and bringing in one of the best players to ever play first base for the Seattle Mariners in Josh Naylor (it’s a pretty low bar, but Josh clears it by a mile. First base has historically been a blackhole for this team outside of Tino Martinez and John Olerud).
2. Bryan Woo’s status is still uncertain for the ALDS. If he isn’t available, what’s your comfortable level with the Mariners rotation?
The pitching rotation getting healthy and collectively getting their groove back for the last month of the season was the other key component to this team winning the AL West. Woo has been incredible, but I’m okay with giving him another week of rest if he’s not quite ready instead of rushing him back. I feel very confident in Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Luis Castillo and their collective abilities to give the Mariners a great chance to win the first three games of the series. If they need Bryce Miller to go, I think he’ll do okay, as well. I am 41 years old and have followed this team since I was maybe 5 years old and it’s still a very foreign feeling to have this much confidence in Mariners pitching, but here we are.
3. Is there anything other than Tarik Skubal that concerns you particularly in facing the Tigers?
Skubal is very scary, yes. But, Riley Greene apparently lives to torment the Mariners and has hit .352 versus the M’s with 25 hits and 4 dingers. Guy is a menace! Also, do not want to see these pitchers on the mound: Raphael Montero (sucked as a Mariner, was a jerk as an Astro), Paul Sewald (because we still love him and don’t want him to hurt us), and Will Vest (because he seems to also hate his former team for some reason).
4. On paper the Mariners look like a complete club with strong pitching and a powerful well balanced offense. Are there are notable weaknesses that could show up in terms of defense, baserunning, situational hitting, or the bullpen?
I mean, bullpens are always terrifying in high pressure situations, and this Mariners bullpen is no different. While it’s been mostly solid, and often electrifying, there has been some typical volatility. I am just hoping that the Mariners having one of the deepest lineups they’ve ever had (1-6 in the lineup have been insane the last month plus, and then the bottom 3 also get on base and hit homers occasionally) will make the need to protect slim needs occur less often.
5. Finally what is your confidence level with Dan Wilson pulling the strings?
Heh, well I definitely echo what our Manager Editor Kate Preusser just wrote about Dan Wilson on LL. I was extremely skeptical of the team sticking with him beyond an interim basis after the end of 2024 given his lack of MLB managerial experience. There have been learning moments over the course of the season in terms of strategic choices, but overall I owe this man a huge apology because he is clearly the manager this group of players needed and his consistently even-keel demeanor is definitely appreciated by his team, even if it tends to drive the rest of us a bit crazy in terms of getting any meaningful quotes out of him.
I mean, he was my favorite catcher growing up, a player everyone’s mom absolutely adored, and it’s honestly pretty special to have him at the helm for one of the team’s rare playoff runs.
Thanks a ton for putting this together! Cheers to an exciting playoff series! (AAHHHHH!!!)
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Thank you to Eric and to Lookout Landing for answering our questions. LL has been one of the best blogs in baseball for a very long time, so please check out their coverage for a hometown perspective on the Mariners, and if you stop into their comments please represent the fanbase well.
