After 24 years, the Seattle Mariners have made it to the American League Championship Series (ALCS), restoring the team’s “Refuse to Lose” spirit. Fans all over Seattle have been thrilled by the Mariners’ playoff run, which has brought generations together who have been longing for this moment.
The 2025 season for the Mariners has been absolutely remarkable. Led by Cal Raleigh, the favorite for the American League MVP award, the team has a winning combination of great hitting and strong pitching. The team, featuring players like Josh Naylor, Julio Rodriguez and Bryan Woo, has turned what initially appeared to be a rebuilding season into a serious race for the championship.
“It’s incredibly emotional,” Denise Morales, a lifelong Mariners fan, said. “We’ve waited over two decades to see this kind of momentum again. It’s not just about baseball, it’s about seeing hope restored in a franchise that’s carried so much history and heartbreak.”
With every pitch and homerun, fans are packing the stands, waving their rally towels and cheering louder, so much so that T-Mobile Park registered seismic activity equivalent to a 3.0 earthquake during their 15-inning Oct. 10 game versus the Detroit Tigers.
“The energy of this team is different,” Aidan Hatch, a third-year communications and media major at Seattle University and Rolling Mariners podcast host, said. “In 2022, it felt like ‘Oh my gosh, we finally made it.’ but this year they have the mindset of ‘we’re here to win it all.’ They don’t just want to make the playoffs, they want to finish the job.”
This mindset fueled a tough season. After winning nine straight games to start the year, the Mariners slowed down in May and June, having a 13-14 record in those two months. They made a comeback after the trade deadline, bringing in essential players like Naylor and Eugenio Suarez.
Suarez, who was a part of the previous playoff team, has contributed valuable leadership and experience to the clubhouse. The team’s lineup strengthened with midseason signings, which gave them the boost they needed to get back on track. Along with a new and improved offense, lifelong Mariners fan Jordan Kim referenced another factor towards the team’s success.
“Pitching depth without a doubt,” Kim said. “Our starters have consistently ranked [in the] top five in ERA [Earned Run Average] and WHIP [Walks + Hits per Innings Pitched]. Bryan Woo and Logan Gilbert have anchored a rotation that rarely gives up early runs, which has given the offense breathing room.”
Kim highlighted the key differences between the current Mariners and the legendary 2001 squad that last made it to the ALCS.
“The 2001 team was built on consistent contact hitting and historic depth,” Kim said. “This 2025 team is built on power and pitching. They’re different styles of excellence, but the current team feels more balanced overall.”
Raleigh has been a big part of the team, playing a crucial role offensively and defensively. His strength at the plate has made him one of the American League’s strongest hitters. This season, Raleigh has set the record for most home runs in a single season by a catcher, switch-hitter and Mariners hitter. Raleigh hit home run number 60 Sept. 24, joining only six other players to have achieved this feat. What he does behind the plate has also been important in guiding the pitching staff.
“He hit 60 home runs, which is something you’ll never see again from a catcher,” Hatch said. “But what really makes him dangerous is the lineup around him. Pitchers can’t avoid him because after Raleigh comes Rodriguez, then Naylor, then Polanco. There’s no break, it’s a nightmare for opposing teams.”
The Mariners showed their strength and determination in an exciting five-game American League Division Series (ALDS) against the Detroit Tigers from Oct. 4-10, 2025. Seattle had a close victory in Game 1 to start the series, but Detroit quickly evened the series. The Mariners’ offense took off in Game 3 with home runs from Raleigh, Suarez and J.P. Crawford taking the lead.
In Game 4, the Tigers came back, resulting in a thrilling final game in Seattle. Game 5 was a 15-inning game that became the longest winner-take-all playoff game in MLB history. With a 3-2 victory and a walk-off single by Jorge Polanco, the Mariners advanced to the ALCS.
“You allowed one home run in 15 innings and no other runs to score,” Hatch said. “The Tigers had a chance to score in almost every inning, but our pitching stepped up huge.”
The team’s confidence in Morales’ opinion has been a big factor for the team.
“This group plays like they expect to win, not just hope to,” Morales said. “You can see it in how they handle pressure; they stay composed even when the game tightens. That’s something past teams sometimes lacked.”
Manager Dan Wilson, who has received recognition for his player relationships and bullpen management, has helped to maintain that composure.
“He deserves a lot of credit,” Morales said. “He built trust in the clubhouse, and you can tell the players respect him. He’s managed the bullpen brilliantly in high-pressure situations. It’s clear the team has fully bought into his system.”
As the Mariners get ready to face their next challenge in the ALCS, excitement is running high throughout Seattle.
“If they make the World Series, I don’t even know what I’d do,” Hatch said. “I’ve never seen it happen before. I’d be really overwhelmed, really excited, just happy to see them make it.”
Looking ahead, Hatch believes this playoff run is the beginning of a new era for the Mariners.
“I think it really shows to the front office, like everyone in the ownership, that these guys really want to win here and they want the best guys available,” Hatch said. “They’re not just here for one playoff run. They’re here to win for a long time.”
For Morales, who has followed the team since its early years, this moment feels like a reward for years of patience.
“It would mean everything,” Morales said. “This city has stayed loyal through years of frustration. A World Series berth would validate all that patience and show that the Mariners are finally where they belong, competing with the best.”
At the time of publishing, the Mariners currently lead the series against the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1. After defeating the Blue Jays twice on the road, the Mariners returned to Seattle Oct. 15, dropping the third of the seven-game series with a score of 4-13.
The energy at T-Mobile Park now feels electric, the kind that only a city about to possibly make history can hold. One thing is certain: Seattle is no longer waiting for the future. The Mariners are living it.