With the closure of the World Series and free agency officially open, we are now into the 2025-2026 MLB off-season. This will potentially be the last “normal” off-season before a looming lockout/labor
stoppage, especially given the renewed discussion of a salary cap after the Dodgers’ repeat World Series title. The off-season isn’t my favorite time of year—brace yourself, Trade Proposal season is coming—but I’m trying to really enjoy it this season, partly because it feels like a way to stay connected to the excitement of the 2025 team, and partly because I have a dark suspicion that there will be a time, sooner than we think, when we look back on news of even an MiLB deal fondly. Here’s how to arrange your calendar for the scraps of baseball news that will tide us over until pitchers and catchers report (early this year, because of the WBC, so make those spring training plans soon!).
November 6: Deadline Day
Players holding a player option and/or clubs holding a club option have to make a decision on whether or not to exercise that option by the close of business (5 PM ET). Additionally, teams have to decide if they’ll be extending qualifying offers (QOs) to any players set to become free agents.
Mariners impact: Jorge Polanco holds a player option that triggered when he hit 450 plate appearances in 2025. He’ll likely exercise his option and see what he can command on the free agent market; the Mariners will need to decide if they want to extend him a QO and either pay this year’s QO amount ($22.025 million) or receive a draft pick if Polanco decides to sign elsewhere. Theoretically, the Mariners could also QO Josh Naylor or Eugenio Suárez, but if they’re actively trying to re-sign Naylor, that wouldn’t be a great negotiating tactic.
November 7: AL Silver Slugger Awards announced
Mariners impact: Jorge Polanco (2B), Julio Rodríguez (OF), and Cal Raleigh (C) are all finalists. The Mariners are also a finalist for the team award.
November 10-13: GM Meetings (Las Vegas); Rookie of the Year award announced (Nov. 10)
Mariners impact: GM meetings don’t usually return too much new information, but we might get some quotes from Jerry Dipoto or Justin Hollander from the beat reporters who are there. Enjoy Vegas, Divish!
November 11: Manager of the Year announced
Mariners impact: Dan Wilson is a finalist for AL Manager of the Year, along with the Guardians’ Steven Vogt and the Blue Jays’ John Schneider. From poking around on non-Mariners baseball communities online, the general consensus seems to be that Vogt will go home with the award for a second straight year, leading a Guardians team that looked dead in the water early in the season to an improbable AL Central title, but maybe voters will feel like recognizing the historic achievement of Wilson leading the Mariners to their first division title in decades.
November 12: Cy Young winners announced
November 13: MVP, all other awards, and All-MLB Teams announced
Mariners impact: It’s a little funny that arguably the biggest award (MVP) is smooshed in with all these other various and sundry awards. Obviously, Mariners fans will primarily be watching to see if Cal Raleigh managers to secure the MVP vs. Aaron Judge. Technically, the Guardians’ José Ramírez is also a finalist, but this has been a two-horse race all season.
Even if Mariners fans are disappointed by the outcome of the MVP vote—and being Mariners fans, that’s a strong possibility—there should still be some good news for Mariners fans with the All-MLB team announcement. On the position player side, Josh Naylor (1B), Eugenio Suárez (3B), Cal Raleigh (C), Jorge Polanco (DH), and Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodríguez (OF) are all nominated; for pitchers, Bryan Woo and Andrés Muñoz are nominated. The Gabe Speier slight has been noted, and it will not stand.
November 17: 2026 Hall of Fame ballot released
Mariners impact: Nothing pressing, but there are some players eligible for the ballot for the first time with Mariners ties. Okay, I’m going to need you to take a deep breath before you read this list: Shin-Soo Choo, Justin Smoak, Logan Morrison, Edwin Encarnación. Of those, Choo and Encarnación are the only ones who will probably make the ballot, but I thought it would be fun for us all to gaze into the shallow mirror of our mortality together. More Mariners-relevant, Félix Hernández will remain on the ballot after gaining modest support last year, as will Alex Rodriguez.
November 18: Deadline Day, Part 2: Rule 5 decisions; players to decide if they will accept Qualifying Offers
Mariners impact: We covered the potential of a QO earlier. The Rule 5 decision regards teams having to add players to their 40-man roster who have been in their system for a certain amount of time (players 19 years+ drafted/signed no later than 2022, and players 18+ drafted no later than 2021; players signed internationally no later than 2021) in order to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. Some names to watch for the Mariners: 3B Luis Suisbel, RHPs Michael Morales and Taylor Dollard, OF Spencer Packard. Other names to note are the relievers who have been in the system for a while, as relievers are always on the move in the Rule 5: Marcelo Perez, Peyton Alford, Tyler Cleveland, Steven Raeth, Reid VanScoter, Jimmy Kingsbury, etc.
November 21: Deadline Day, Part 3: Non-tenders
Mariners impact: The deadline for decisions on tendering or non-tendering contracts for eligible players is at 5 PM PT. The Mariners will have to dish out some big money to arbitration-eligible players Randy Arozarena and Logan Gilbert, as well as a moderate pile of money to George Kirby and Bryce Miller, both of whom are also Super Two players. Matt Brash, Luke Raley, and Gabe Speier are all also arbitration-eligible, as are Jackson Kowar, Tayler Saucedo, and Gregory Santos. any of whom are possible candidates to non-tender.
December 7-11: Winter Meetings
December 9: MLB Draft Lottery
December 10: Rule 5 Draft
Mariners impact: These are generally the last big exciting things to happen before everyone takes some much-deserved time off for the holidays. The MLB Draft Lottery won’t be as exciting for Mariners fans as it was last year, when they improbably snagged the third overall pick; however, they aren’t eligible for a top pick after making the playoffs this year (but you can still tune in to root against the Astros, A’s, or Rangers getting a high pick; the Angels, hilariously, are ineligible despite being the first AL West team to be eliminated). Likewise, the Mariners probably won’t be super-active in the Rule 5 Draft, as that’s not really where they are in their contention cycle. These are good problems to have, though.
January 15: 2026 international free agent signing period opens
Mariners impact: “J15” is a national holiday in places like the Dominican Republic, where lives transform with the stroke of a pen on this date. The Mariners have just over $7.35M to use on signing international free agents this year (deals under $10,000 are exempt from the pool), which is the second-largest pool group. The Mariners’ big splash this year looks to be Dominican outfielder Juan Rijo, a long-limbed lefty who’s drawn praise for his advanced approach at the plate (he just turned 17 this November) and ability to spray hits all over the field, cannon for an arm, and power potential.
February XX: Pitchers and catchers report!
We’re almost there!
February 20: First spring training game
Take a deep breath, everyone. You made it. The complete spring training schedule is here.
March 5-17: World Baseball Classic
Mariners impact: Beware if you’re heading to spring training that you might miss out on players who will be out playing WBC games with their home country teams. Houston, not Phoenix, will be hosting WBC play this year, with Team USA, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, and Great Britain all in that pool.
March 20: Spring Breakout Game
March 23: Final Spring Training Game
March 26: Home opener vs. the Guardians
