Four Seattle Times Experts Just Made Their 2026 Mariners Predictions and They're Unanimous About One Thing
Opening day is finally here, and the Seattle Times staff just dropped their season predictions. Here's the thing: every single one of them sees the Mariners winning the AL West. Not one skeptic in the bunch. That's how much confidence there is in what this team can do.
The Roster Is Built Different This Year
This is the deepest Mariners team Seattle has seen in forever. The return of Josh Naylor paired with additions like Brendan Donovan and Rob Refsnyder gives Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, and the rest of the lineup something they haven't had in years: legitimate support up and down the order. We're talking about a group that can score runs in a bunch of different ways. If the starting rotation stays healthy, the M's should be one of the best teams in the American League, full stop.
Every prediction has Seattle winning the division, but the projections vary on how far they go. Ryan Divish sees a 93-79 record and a trip back to the ALCS where they avenge their loss to the Blue Jays before running into the Dodgers in the World Series. Adam Jude is even more bullish: he's predicting 95-67 and calls this potentially the most complete roster the Mariners have ever had. Tim Booth has them at 88-74 but still winning the West, with Cal Raleigh dominating the postseason and Julio Rodriguez emerging as an MVP candidate. Mike Vorel rounds it out at 91-71, expecting a bounce-back from the starting rotation after dealing with injuries last season.
It All Comes Down to Health
Here's what keeps coming up: Bryan Woo is the X factor. When he's healthy, he's one of the elite arms in baseball. If all five starters stay on the field, this team has the ceiling to win serious hardware this October. That's not hype, that's just reality. Jude even mentions that pitching health will determine whether the M's reach their ceiling or fall short of their floor.
The Dodgers keep showing up in every World Series prediction, but that's a problem for October. Right now, the focus is clear: win the AL West, make a deep playoff run, and finally get back to the World Series.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.