After knocking on the door of the Fall Classic just a few short months ago, the Seattle Mariners are back with a vengeance this Spring
The Seattle Mariners started things in Spring Training the right way, defeating the San Diego Padres in the exhibition opener, 7-4. Infielder Michael Arroyo, the M's number 5 prospect, hit a home run and a double to pace the squad, as they look to return to the postseason in 2026.
Most members of the team admit they are still feeling the sting of falling short in the American League Championship, but they're using it as motivationfor the upcoming campaign. “One of the things our guys did very well last year is just being in the present moment,” Mariners manager. “And right now, it’s about preparing for what’s ahead of us going forward. That’s the approach we’re taking. And I think in some ways, that sting does provide some motivation. But I think with all of us, it just doesn’t do any good to dwell on. It’s time to keep pushing for what’s ahead.” Raleigh, coming off a season when he hit 60 home runs and finished second in the AL Most Valuable Player voting , looks even more determined than before. It seems the taste of success that Seattle sipped on in 2025 wasn't quite enough to savor. The veteran backstop said his team has been waiting long enough to win a World Series. To paraphrase a classic 1989Raleigh says he spent some time with Wilson during the offseason, as the two bonded over watching another Emerald City franchise achieve their ultimate goal., who invited Wilson to multiple Seahawks games. The catcher was fully supportive of his team's Emerald City neighbors during their Super Bowl run. “So it just feels normal. It’s not weird or anything. You feel like you’re bringing your dad. ... We’ve become very close.”Feb 12, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; A fan waits for Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh to sign an autograph at Seattle Mariners workouts in Peoria, Arizona. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images After being forced to sit back and watch the Toronto Blue Jays represent the American League in a losing effort against the Los Angeles Dodgers, fans in Seattle were sick to their stomach. That same sentiment was shared by the Mariners' players and Dan Wilson. Following a sensational September, nearly everyone in, around, or following the squad in 2025 thought they were destined to reach the Fall Classic., speaking for the vast majority of the M's holdovers. “But you take that and use it as fuel... We want to be a perennial team where making the playoffs is just an afterthought in a way. We want to be there every year. We want to be competing for the World Series, winning the World Series, and that's the expectation we want to have.”Ryan K Boman is a freelance writer and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays Looking at Life with Love & Laughter. His previous work has appeared at MSN, Heavy, the Miami Herald, Screen Rant, FanSided, and Yardbarker. Follow him on X @RyanKBomanThe Five Most Consequential Moves of the MLB Offseason
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