State Of The Mariners – September 8th, 2025
By Brittany Wisner, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - Mustaches, sage, and Etsy witches – oh my!
The Mariners are reaching deep into the bag of baseball superstitions, and it’s not hard to see why. After yet another brutal road trip, Seattle finds itself clinging to playoff hopes by a thread - and calling on any kind of magic to turn things around.
The last home stand of August ended on a high note as the Mariners took two of three from both the Athletics and Padres, wrapping up the month with a 4–2 homestand that kept them firmly in the postseason hunt. All they needed to do to maintain that standing was avoid completely sinking on the upcoming road trip, a task that has haunted them since the All-Star break.
The trip began in Cleveland, where Seattle dropped back-to-back one-run games - including what was arguably their most gut-wrenching loss of the year. After jumping out to a 4–0 lead in the first inning of the opener, the bats went ice cold for the remaining eight innings. After Cleveland had cut the lead to 4-3 heading into the ninth, reliever Andrés Muñoz gave up two runs and a stunned Mariner team watched as the Guardians walked it off.
From there, things only spiraled. Seattle was swept in Tampa Bay by a Rays team well outside the playoff picture - until the Mariners helped them tiptoe their way back into it. George Kirby’s nightmare outing in the finale - 7 earned runs on 10 hits in just two innings - marked the shortest start of his career and left Seattle reeling. The loss tightened the wild card race, with Kansas City and Texas creeping to within a game of the Mariners.
The opener in Atlanta didn’t offer much relief either. Another loss loomed and the spiral deepened. That’s when things got weird.
Cal Raleigh and other members of the coaching staff arrived at the ballpark sporting mustaches reminiscent of Tom Selleck in the 80’s. Media members caught the distinct scent of sage emanating from the clubhouse, signaling that former Mariner and sage-enthusiast Mike Cameron wasn’t far behind. And in perhaps the most chaotic occurrence of fan desperation yet, a Twitter user paid a witch on Etsy to cast a spell on their beloved team.
And in pure baseball weirdness, Seattle proceeded to explode for 28 runs over the next two games, taking the series in Atlanta and releasing what one can imagine to be a whole lot of pent up frustration in the process.
With just 19 games left in the regular season, the Mariners will look to ride the magic all the way into October. Here’s a look at who’s been getting it done and who they’ll need to step up in order to get there.
Who’s Been Hot
Julio Rodríguez
Seattle’s young star center fielder continues to be one of the hottest players in baseball in the second half.
Since the start of the last home stand, Rodríguez has a .305 batting average, .339 on-base percentage and .593 slugging percentage with five home runs and a 162 wRC+, per Fangraphs. While much of the lineup has battled inconsistency, Rodríguez has remained steady both at the plate and in the field. His defense has routinely erased mistakes from a pitching staff that’s struggled to find its rhythm.
Seattle Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodríguez during the teams late August homestand against the Athletics and San Diego Padres. (Photos by Kevin Ng for Circling Seattle Sports)
The 2022 Rookie of the Year continues to reach new milestones. With his 30th home run of the season, Rodríguez became the seventh center fielder in MLB history with multiple 30+ home run seasons at age 24 or younger, according to Mariners PR. He also joined elite company as one of just three players with three 25 home run/25 stolen base seasons within their first four career seasons, joining Darryl Strawberry and Bobby Bonds.
While Cal Raleigh has– rightfully so– stolen much of the spotlight this season, Julio is quietly on-pace for potentially his best season yet.
Jorge Polanco
Another Mariner who has quietly flown under the radar as of late, Jorge Polanco has been the third best hitter in baseball by wRC+ since August 22nd.
Polanco is slashing .375/.436/.813 with six home runs, 12 RBIs and a stolen base since the start of the last home stand. His 1.0 fWAR over that time is the ninth-best in baseball, helping to stabilize Seattle’s lineup during a volatile stretch.
Seattle Mariners infielder/designated hitter Jorge Polanco during the teams late August homestand against the Athletics and San Diego Padres. (Photos by Kevin Ng for Circling Seattle Sports)
In Saturday’s win over the Braves, Polanco officially reached 450 plate appearances, triggering a $6 million player option for 2026 and adding $500k to his 2025 salary. It's a well-earned bit of security for the 32-year-old second baseman whose 2024 season was derailed by injuries and produced the worst season of his career.
Polanco might not get the full recognition he deserves, but his steady presence in the lineup and clutch production have been critical to the Mariners’ postseason push.
Who’s Cold
J.P. Crawford
Seattle’s shortstop has hit a rough patch down the stretch.
Since 8/22, J.P. Crawford is slashing .250/.321/.271 with a 78 wRC+ in 53 plate appearances. Nearly two months ago, there was legitimate All-Star buzz surrounding his solid first half—but since the break, his offensive production has fallen off a cliff. He hasn’t logged an extra-base hit since August 23rd and his last home run came back on August 3rd.
While slugging has never been a large part of Crawford’s game, the Mariners need more from him at the bottom of the lineup—particularly in the form of grinding out at-bats and finding ways to get on base. With everything tightening in the sprint toward October, small contributions from the eight and nine spots in the order can make a big difference.
Seattle Mariners left handed reliever Gabe Speier during the teams late August homestand against the Athletics and San Diego Padres. (Photos by Kevin Ng for Circling Seattle Sports)
Gabe Speier
Quietly one of Seattle’s best pitchers this year, Gabe Speier has run into some trouble at a critical time in the season.
With trade-deadline acquisition Caleb Ferguson scuffling since joining the team, Speier remains the bullpen’s primary weapon against left-handed hitters. Seattle has few to no other alternatives against lefties, making his performance down the stretch especially vital. But over his last 5.2 innings pitched, Speier has surrendered five runs on six hits, an uncharacteristic stretch for a reliever who has arguably been the most steady pitcher all year.
Seattle will hope this is just a blip on an otherwise fantastic season for Speier, as he will be crucial to the team’s playoff hopes.
What’s Next?
The Mariners once again return to the friendly confines of T-Mobile Park where they have performed exceedingly better this year. In what will be a pivotal seven-game homestand, Seattle will hope to stay hot at home - no black magic required.
The stretch begins Monday night against the St. Louis Cardinals (72–72), with veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas taking the mound in the opener. Seattle will then face another test against lefty Matthew Liberatore, before the series wraps with Michael McGreevy starting the finale.
After the Cardinals, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (67–76) roll into town for a four-game set that could serve as a crucial tone-setter before what looms as the most important road trip of the season.
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Check out our previous Seattle Mariners articles here.
Check out our previous articles with writing by Brittany Wisner here.
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