Jerome Miron-Imagn Pictures
Although they’ve misplaced two straight to trim their AL West result in a single sport, the Mariners are a first-place staff due to a current 16-4 stretch that has boosted their document to 20-14. As I famous final week, their success for a change hasn’t been pushed by the power of their rotation, which has been with out George Kirby to this point because of shoulder irritation and is now with out Logan Gilbert, who landed on the IL in late April with a flexor pressure. Relatively, Seattle been carried by an exceptionally potent offense, a marked distinction from current years, significantly 2024, when the staff’s failure to attain contributed to the August firings of supervisor Scott Servais and hitting coach Jarret DeHart. These Mariners have benefited not solely from Cal Raleigh’s heavy hitting, however from the continuing presence of Randy Arozarena, who was acquired simply earlier than final 12 months’s commerce deadline, and rebounds from gamers who struggled because of accidents final season, comparable to J.P. Crawford and Jorge Polanco. The return of Corridor of Famer Edgar Martinez to their teaching employees has helped, and it does seem as if T-Cell Park has been a bit extra forgiving than normal.
Raleigh and Polanco are the hitters getting the headlines. Raleigh is at the moment slashing .240/.359/.574 with a significant league-high 12 homers, and he ranks third within the AL in slugging share behind solely Aaron Choose and Alex Bregman, and fourth within the league in wRC+ behind these two and Jonathan Aranda(!). Whereas Polanco doesn’t have sufficient plate appearances to qualify for the batting title as a result of an indirect pressure has restricted him to swinging left-handed and to DHing as an alternative of taking part in the sphere, he’s hit a ridiculous .369/.407/.750 (233 wRC+) with 9 homers in simply 92 plate appearances (14 wanting qualifying). Crawford is batting .294/.417/.404 (151 wRC+) and Arozarena .224/.366/.414 (136 wRC+). Each gamers are strolling over 15% of the time, with Raleigh drawing a move 14.4% of the time; the staff’s 11.2% stroll fee leads the majors.
All of that has helped the Mariners face up to a relatively gradual begin by Julio Rodríguez (.206/.308/.375, 103 wRC+) and a wave of accidents that has compelled proper fielder Victor Robles, outfielder-first baseman Luke Raley, utilityman Dylan Moore, and second baseman Ryan Bliss to the injured checklist alongside the aforementioned rotation stalwarts (Replace: Moore was activated simply after this text was revealed). Even so, the Mariners have gotten a 100 wRC+ or higher from each place in addition to first base (the place Rowdy Tellez, Donovan Solano, Raley and Moore have mixed for a 60 wRC+) and proper subject (the place six gamers, amongst them the injured Robles, Raley and Moore, have mixed for a 90 wRC+).
Final 12 months, when the Mariners fell one win wanting a Wild Card berth, they ranked tenth within the AL in scoring at 4.17 runs per sport, 14th in batting common (.224), and twelfth in slugging share (.376), although they had been a extra respectable seventh in on-base share (.311) and tied for fifth with a 104 wRC+. It took a robust September to enhance these rankings:
Mariners Offense, 2024–25
Season
Month
G
R/G
AVG
OBP
SLG
wRC+
2024
March/April
30
3.63
.217
.296
.353
93
2024
Might
29
3.69
.227
.295
.374
97
2024
June
27
4.30
.211
.303
.369
99
2024
July
24
4.13
.219
.311
.385
106
2024
August
26
4.27
.207
.315
.342
98
2024
September
26
5.15
.264
.347
.433
128
2024
By means of August 21
128
3.93
.216
.301
.365
97
2024
August 22 Onward
34
5.09
.255
.347
.417
125
2025
By means of Might 5
34
5.12
.244
.339
.414
124
Provided that the Mariners play within the majors’ coldest ballpark, the climate most likely had one thing to do with their offensive troubles early final season in addition to their offensive uptick in the summertime, however the regime change could have been the actual turning level. On August 22, when the staff was 64-64, the Mariners fired Servais and DeHart, with Dan Wilson taking on as supervisor and Martinez, who beforehand spent 2015–18 because the staff’s hitting coach, returning to that function for the rest of the season. The Mariners went 21-13 the remainder of the way in which, giving chase to a playoff spot that had as soon as appeared out of attain earlier than, alas, arising simply brief.
As you may see from the desk above, this season the Mariners are scoring at an identical clip to their late-2024 mark. They’re at the moment second within the league behind the Yankees each in that division and in wRC+. Martinez is now not the hitting coach; as an alternative he’s now their senior director of hitting technique — a job that entails much less journey — whereas Kevin Seitzer joined the employees because the hitting coach after 10 years in that capability for the Braves. In Atlanta, Seitzer performed a job within the success of MVP winners Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman in addition to All-Stars Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna. Bobby Magallanes, who served because the assistant hitting coach beneath Seitzer in Atlanta from 2021–24, additionally made the transfer to Seattle.
Whereas it’s honest to treat enhancements in efficiency linked to teaching adjustments with some skepticism — correlation doesn’t equal causation, and we’re nonetheless working with comparatively small samples on this case — anecdotal proof suggests Martinez and Seitzer have had a considerable impression. Polanco often is the poster youngster for the brand new regime. After clubbing 33 dwelling runs with a 124 wRC+ for the Twins in 2021, he performed in simply 302 video games over the following three seasons due hamstring and knee accidents, and his efficiency eroded. Final 12 months, he hit simply .213/.296/.355 (92 wRC+) with 16 homers in 118 video games, and his strikeout fee spiked to 29.2%, almost 10 share factors above his profession mark. After the season, he underwent surgical procedure to restore the patellar tendon in his left knee, an issue that contributed to his poor efficiency.
This spring, with the assistance of Martinez and Seitzer, Polanco closed his stance, lowering the angle at which his ft deviate from a straight line to the pitcher. The adjustments haven’t been symmetrical; batting left-handed, he’s decreased the angle from 37 levels to 4, whereas batting right-handed — one thing he hasn’t accomplished in a sport since March 31 — he decreased the angle from 19 levels to 14.
Updating what Davy Andrews not too long ago wrote about Polanco batting lefty, he’s elevated his common bat velocity a bit (from 70.2 mph to 71.9), his quick swing fee from 8.6% to twenty.8%, his squared-up fee from 23.1% to 35.4%, and his blast fee from 9.4% to twenty.8%. His common exit velocity has elevated by almost 4 mph, his barrel fee has greater than doubled, and his xSLG has improved by over 300 factors:
Jorge Polanco Statcast Profile
Season
Crew
Occasions
EV
Barrel%
HardHit%
AVG
xBA
SLG
xSLG
wOBA
xwOBA
2023
MIN
217
88.4
13.8%
40.6%
.255
.250
.454
.481
.340
.348
2024
SEA
282
88.3
8.9%
37.2%
.213
.226
.355
.399
.287
.309
2025
SEA
75
92.0
18.7%
53.3%
.369
.383
.750
.720
.490
.486
Within the compilation video beneath, which reveals one dwelling run from 2024 after which two from this season, you may see the extent to which Polanco’s stance has closed:
The change — first detailed by MLB.com’s Mike Petriello — was pushed by residual soreness in his surgically repaired knee, nevertheless it’s slot in with the mechanical and philosophical changes imparted by Martinez and Seitzer.
“When Edgar acquired right here, he simply preached on that (middle-of-the-field) strategy,” Polanco instructed MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer after homering twice in opposition to the Angels final Tuesday. “All people knew who Edgar was, so we simply listened to him, making an attempt to work on that. So I took it into the offseason.”
“Guys that begin open can tend to show an excessive amount of and perhaps block themselves, stride in at occasions, and never be per their route,” Seitzer instructed Kramer. “I like simplified — when guys get in a superb place after they get into their weight switch, they get to their heel plant, they’re in a superb place to fireplace from their physique place and into their palms.”
Variations on the phrase “easy” pop up often in descriptions of the way in which that Martinez and Seitzer have communicated with hitters.
“I simply suppose how easy Edgar saved it,” Raleigh instructed the Seattle Sports activities podcast in February when requested how Martinez had helped the staff’s hitters. “On the finish of the day, simply doing all your job, staying to the massive a part of the sphere. Actually simply easy messaging… As hitters, as all of us do, generally we get just a little too analytical or fascinated by the swing an excessive amount of. It doesn’t come right down to that.”
“Seitz teaches easy issues in easy methods, and he’s so refined in how he goes about it,” president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto instructed The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner. “I’ve joked that he’s Midwest Edgar.”
Raleigh’s swing and stance metrics haven’t modified appreciably from final 12 months. The switch-hitting backstop is hitting the ball tougher than normal from the left aspect, which can or could not have one thing to do together with his current adoption of the torpedo bat. Raleigh started utilizing it — however solely in opposition to righties — on April 11, kicking off a stretch of six dwelling runs in six video games vs. the Rangers and Reds; 5 of these homers got here in opposition to righties. Relative to what he’d accomplished from that aspect of the plate over the season’s first two weeks, for the reason that change he’s gained over 3 mph of exit velo, tripled his barrel fee, and greater than doubled his xSLG:
Cal Raleigh Statcast Profile by Handedness
Season
Break up
BBE
EV
Brl%
HH%
BA
xBA
SLG
xSLG
wOBA
xwOBA
2023
vs LHP
69
89.9
8.7%
44.9%
.218
.235
.376
.431
.272
.300
2024
vs LHP
57
90.9
17.4%
42.6%
.182
.222
.442
.511
.292
.341
2025
vs LHP
29
90.1
24.1%
44.8%
.222
.233
.467
.479
.320
.325
2023
vs RHP
261
89.4
13.6%
40.1%
.235
.233
.476
.474
.337
.336
2024
vs RHP
196
91.0
14.6%
50.6%
.235
.238
.434
.463
.334
.348
2025
vs RHP
60
92.6
21.7%
50.0%
.250
.256
.631
.631
.434
.430
2025 By means of 4/10
vs RHP
22
90.5
9.1%
45.5%
.138
.196
.276
.314
.254
.288
2025 Since 4/11
vs RHP
38
93.8
28.9%
52.6%
.309
.288
.818
.798
.522
.499
SOURCE: Baseball Savant
Torpedo bat or no, Raleigh’s total 22.5% barrel fee is within the 99th percentile of all hitters. In the meantime, his 36% pulled air fee leads the majors, and breaks right down to a 41.7% fee as a lefty (tops within the majors by over 9 factors!) and 24.1% as a righty. Polanco (30.7%) ranks ninth in pulled air fee, with Arozarena (26%) and Moore (25.9%) thirty first and thirty second, respectively.
With reference to pull charges, one idea in regards to the Mariners’ current historical past of offensive struggles is that their hitters have been too pull-happy, maybe feeling as if they wanted to get each benefit obtainable so as to hit balls out in a park the place the circumstances — temperature, humidity, elevation, wind — cut back carry on fly balls. Final 12 months, the discount was by an estimated 5.3 ft, the second-largest shortfall within the majors, and in accordance with Petriello — who did a deep dive on the offense-suppressing nature of T-Cell Park in January — it value the Mariners and their opponents an estimated 55 homers, additionally the second-largest whole.
Mariners Pull Charges, 2022–25
Season
R/G
R/G Rank
wRC+
wRC+ Rank
Pull
Pull Rank
Pull Air
Pull Air Rank
2022
4.26
18th
108
eighth
39%
thirteenth
19.4%
4th
2023
4.68
twelfth
108
sixth
43%
1st
21.6%
1st
2024
4.17
twenty first
104
twelfth
41%
4th
21.1%
1st
2025
5.12
fifth
124
2nd
40.9%
seventh
18.9%
sixth
SOURCE: Baseball Savant
The Mariners offense was very profitable whereas pulling the ball extra often than every other staff in 2023, however that strategy didn’t work final 12 months. Certainly, it was mentioned to be an element within the tepid efficiency of Rodríguez. Through the Seattle Instances’ Ryan Divish:
Rodríguez appeared to lose himself as a hitter in his struggles. The metrics mentioned he was at his greatest when pulling the ball within the air, nevertheless it didn’t really feel pure for him to attempt to pull it. However it additionally didn’t really feel proper to simply give attention to hitting in any route. His swing adjustments from the earlier offseason left him off stability and looking out unathletic.
Rodríguez hit simply .263/.314/.369 (102 wRC+) whereas pulling the ball 32.2% of the time (13.9% within the air) earlier than Martinez took over, however .303/.353/.520 (151 wRC+) thereafter whereas boosting his total pull fee to 36.4% and his pulled air fee to 22%. “For Rodríguez, they merely wished him to hit the ball with authority and never attempt to fear about whether or not it was within the air or to a particular a part of the park,” wrote Divish. “Martinez additionally satisfied Rodríguez to maneuver his palms barely and give attention to being extra athletic and balanced within the batter’s field.”
In March, Seitzer spoke of the way in which that T-Cell Park may be getting in hitters’ heads. He instructed the Seattle Instances’ Adam Jude:
“It’s a must to embrace the place you play (your house video games),” Seitzer mentioned. “When it’s the method it’s, we’ve simply acquired to focus extra on low line drives – simply making strong contact and never worrying about balls that we crush that ought to be homers that get caught. There’s nothing we will do about it. However so long as we’re squaring balls up, having good at-bats and placing the fats a part of the bat on the ball constantly, that’s all you are able to do.”
Now Rodríguez is pulling the ball 38.8% of the time, however pulling it within the air a career-low 12.6% of the time; his groundball fee is at a career-high 50.5%, so the Mariners nonetheless have work to do to assist him get proper.
Whereas Mariners hitters are getting higher outcomes with a unique set of voices preaching a unique strategy — and gamers comparable to Polanco and Crawford are more healthy than final 12 months — it’s additionally price noting that no less than within the early going, T-Cell has been extra hitter-friendly than final 12 months, each to the Mariners and their opponents. By means of 18 dwelling video games, the estimated discount in fly ball carry based mostly on the encompassing circumstances is simply two ft, the ninth-largest shortfall. Utilizing Might 5 as a cutoff for every season, precise common fly ball distances are up one foot over final 12 months, and 5 ft over 2023, whereas these for pulled fly balls are up 4 ft over final 12 months, and 13 ft over ’23, although scoring charges are much like what they had been within the latter 12 months.
T-Cell Park Early-Season Offense
Season
R/G
PA
HR
AVG
xBA
SLG
xSLG
wOBA
xwOBA
FB
Pull FB
SLG PFB
Okay%
2023
4.24
1,250
31
.217
.234
.349
.371
.284
.301
300 ft
316 ft
1.047
25.2%
2024
3.08
1,323
34
.194
.214
.323
.352
.259
.280
305 ft
325 ft
1.507
29.0%
2025
4.22
1,317
45
.222
.248
.379
.421
.303
.328
306 ft
329 ft
1.697
26.4%
SOURCE: Baseball Savant
FB = common fly ball distance. Pull FB = common pulled fly ball distance. SLG PFB = slugging share on pulled fly balls.
Observe that strikeout charges are down as properly, although I don’t suppose the Mariners have accomplished something to deal with the complaints in regards to the batter’s eye that date again to the heyday of Martinez and Ichiro Suzuki and had been most not too long ago voiced by Teoscar Hernández, who struggled throughout his 2023 season with the staff.
It might be a stretch to say that it’s taken an ideal storm of gamers, coaches, and environmental circumstances for the Mariners to improve their offense. Even so, it’s not arduous to establish the beneficial properties they’ve made in these areas as elements. With Kirby and Gilbert taking steps ahead of their respective rehabs — the previous began for Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday, whereas the latter has ramped up his long-toss routine — there’s hope that the pitching employees can spherical into form as properly. It’s too early to anoint the Mariners because the staff to beat within the AL West, however after barely lacking out on playoff spots following gradual begins in 2023 and ’24, that is definitely an enchancment.
