The Seattle Mariners are coming off a 2024 season in which they were in the playoff picture most of the year. Unfortunately, they were on the outside looking in when the regular season ended. Seattle fell one game short of a Wildcard birth behind the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers. What should bettors look for if they have the Mariners on their radar? How will the 2025 season play out for the team from the Northwest? Could this team compete for the AL West title? Is there a sleep MVP candidate on the roster?
Mariners Win Total OVER 84.5 (-125)
Outlook Based Off Last Season
The 2024 season was exciting for the Seattle Mariners but unfortunately fell just short of a playoff birth. Sometimes all you can ask is for your team to be in the mix at the end of the season. It was an exciting four-team race for the final two Wildcard spots, including the three teams from the American League Central (Tigers, Twins, and Royals) and the Mariners. The team played above .500 baseball every month, except for two last season. Even the two months that they were under .500, they still had a 22-28 record in July and August.
Seattle was the definition of focusing on the launch angle and long ball without giving much focus on putting the ball in play. The offense led the league in Strikeouts (1,625), and was second worst in team Batting Average (.224) only ahead of the horrendous Chicago White Sox. You may wonder how the hell this team had a winning record? The answer was the team’s pitching staff. With the Atlanta Braves, Seattle was tied with Major League Baseball’s best ERA (3.49)! They also were in the top-10 in the Majors with a .986 Fielding Percentage.
Offseason Moves
The Mariners were quiet in the offseason. The key departure was a 40-year-old Justin Turner, who didn’t have much impact with the team in 2024. They made quite a few minor league deals as well, but nothing that moves the needle. The biggest move was actually made during the 2024 season before the trade deadline. The Mariners acquired slugger Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays. Arozarena should provide protection for young superstar Julio Rodriguez in the lineup. M’s fans should be excited to see this duo alongside Cal Raleigh for an entire season.
Final Thoughts
I expect the Seattle Mariners to not only surpass their 84.5-win total but also win the American League West. The Houston Astros, who are the reigning AL West champs, four times running, have lost some key pieces in their lineup and pitching staff. Julio Rodriguez could be a sleeper at MVP. Even if the team’s pitching takes a slight step down from being number two last season, they should be ok. I don’t expect the offense to repeat being one of the worst teams in Batting Average this season. So this team should improve if the offense can step up just a little bit.
The Pick Is In: Seattle Mariners OVER 84.5 Wins (-125)
Seattle To Win AL WEST (+225)
If you’re really feeling froggy:
Julio Rodriguez AL MVP (+2200)
