SEATTLE -- It’s the season of New Year's, where resolutions and new frontiers are ripe on everyone’s minds -- but especially for those in baseball, with Spring Training just five weeks away. With that in mind, here are a few resolutions for the Mariners in 2026, both team-wide and among players, that might sound lofty -- but also might be achievable. Cal Raleigh: Embrace the curtain call Anticipating another 60-homer season won’t be fair. But banking on Raleigh putting together another All-Star season, leading the Mariners back to October and seeing his leadership blossom even further is completely within reason. And he would say as much himself. The expectations will be sky high in 2026, for the entire team but especially its all-world catcher. And he’ll shoulder as much weight of those, individually and in the collective. Raleigh never shied from the spotlight last season, but he also wasn’t comfortable in it -- at least in the context of speaking on his own achievements. For him, it’s always been about winning. So while 2026 might not be “The Year of Big Dumper” as it was in '25, there’s still plenty to accomplish for one of the sport’s burgeoning stars. Julio Rodríguez: Win AL MVP |
This might fall in a “too soon” category after Raleigh was runner-up last season despite having as legitimate of a case as any catcher in the sport’s history -- and that this specific resolution represents a totally different player. But dating back to his days as an MLB Pipeline posterboy, Rodríguez has long looked like the organization’s player with the best chance to take home the league’s top individual honor. And he certainly looked the part for the second half of last year -- yet that has seemingly been the case for each of his first four seasons. From July 11 on -- the day he declined an invitation to the All-Star Game for a mental and physical reset -- Rodríguez led MLB with 3.8 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs, over 68 games. That would correlate to a 9.1 WAR season over 162 games and easily put him in the MVP conversation. And for his career, he’s slashed .297/.351/.552 (.903 OPS) in the second half. If he can create that type of production from Opening Day onward, and couple it with his Gold Glove-caliber defense, he’ll certainly be in the AL MVP conversation come November. Josh Naylor: Join the 30-30 club Naylor took everyone -- including Seattle’s front office -- by surprise when surging his way to 30 stolen bases last year. And coupled with his 20 homers, he became just the fourth primary first baseman in history to join the 20-30 club. And while upping the ante to the 30-30 club might sound like a stretch, especially for a player who ranked in the 3rd percentile in Statcast’s sprint speed, it might not be totally out of the question, as he already has a 31-homer season under his belt with Cleveland in 2024. Rotation: Win the AL Cy Young Award |
This group now houses four All-Stars -- Luis Castillo (2019, 2022, 2023), Bryan Woo (2025), Logan Gilbert (2024), George Kirby (2023) -- and the outlier, Bryce Miller, could join that group if he’s able to replicate his '24 finish over a full season. The Seattle rotation showed its floor last year when grinding through extended IL stints to four among that group. But at their ceiling, the Mariners could have one of the sport’s best rotations, as they did in '24. Supplanting Detroit’s Tarik Skubal for the league’s top pitching honor will be a tall task, but if any one team had the collective firepower for one player to do so, it might be Seattle. Team: Reach the World Series This will be the leading storyline all year, from FanFest later this month, through Spring Training and the regular season -- which will come with heightened expectations from a starved fanbase and supreme stakes if they are able to reach October. Especially after how last year ended. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander still recognize that there’s work to do this offseason to bolster the roster, specifically by adding another impact bat. But the club should be the favorites to win the AL West again, which could position it for another deep October run. |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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JULIO’S PHILANTHROPY CONTINUES |
courtesy No Limits Foundation |
Rodríguez’s annual return home has always been with a full heart, and he’s voyaged back to the Dominican Republic in a big way this offseason. The Mariners center fielder this week unveiled a massive overhaul to the fields that he quite literally grew up on, unveiling a state-of-the-art refurbishing to an amateur baseball/softball and soccer complex in his hometown of Loma de Cabrera. The renovated complex includes three baseball fields (one main field and two T-ball fields), a soccer field, turf playing surfaces, professional drainage, stadium lighting, batting cages, bullpens, spectator stands and bathrooms -- providing children and families with access to modern, high-quality facilities while honoring the town’s deep connection to baseball. Rodríguez made a personal investment of $1.3 million, and it was completed through his philanthropic foundations No Limits Foundation and Green Hope, with construction led by Orlova Group. |
The unveiling ceremony brought together community members, youth athletes, government officials, partners and special guests to celebrate the field where Rodríguez grew up playing the game. Fellow MLB stars and VIPs joined Rodríguez in support of the community, including Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Oneil Cruz, Christopher Morel and Ronel Blanco, as well as teammates Luis Castillo and Victor Robles, along with former Mariner Nelson Cruz. “This field is where everything started for me,” Rodríguez said. “Being able to give back to Loma de Cabrera and create a place where kids can feel proud, feel safe and believe in themselves means everything. I want them to know there are no limits to what they can achieve.” |
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'26 Mariners Season Ticket Memberships Memberships for next season are on sale now. Choose a Reserved Plan to lock in the best locations in the ballpark or go with a Flex Membership to choose your games and seats as you go. Either way, you’ll unlock exclusive benefits like postseason access, no ticket fees, year-round savings and more. Buy now » '26 Mariners Single-Game Tickets Tickets for next season are officially on sale. Don’t miss your chance to lock in the best seats to the biggest games in 2026: Opening Day, Randy Johnson’s Number Retirement Ceremony, the 50 Seasons Celebration Weekend and more. Buy Tickets » Mariners Fantasy Camp Live out your big league dreams at our Fantasy Camp from Jan. 18-23 at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona. Train, play and compete like a pro -- all alongside Mariners alumni and fellow fans who love the game as much as you do. Register now » |
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