Why Jay Buhner calls Mariners a ‘scary’ playoff matchup

The Seattle Mariners are just two days away from kicking off what they hope will be a deep run through the postseason.

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The American League West champions are the No. 2 seed in the AL and feature what appears to be their deepest roster since the record-setting 116-win squad in 2001.

Jay Buhner, who was a member of the 2001 team and three other M’s playoff squads, joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Thursday to discuss this year’s team and its playoff prospects. The former All-Star right fielder sees the 2025 Mariners as a opponent others will want to avoid.

“It’s a scary matchup,” Buhner said. “They really are.”

One of the big reasons Buhner is high on Seattle’s ability to go far in the playoffs is what it did before the trade deadline, adding the impact bats of first baseman Josh Naylor and third baseman Eugenio Suárez to solidify the middle of their lineup.

Naylor hit .299 with an .831 OPS, 10 doubles, nine homers and 19 stolen bases in 19 attempts in 54 games with Seattle after the trade. Suárez had some struggles after coming back to the Mariners, hitting just .189 in 53 games after the trade. But he still hit 13 homers, and his 49 home runs on the season are enough to make for an uncomfortable at-bat that puts pressure on pitchers.

After the trade deadline, Seattle ranked fourth in MLB with 84 home runs, fifth with a .441 slugging percentage and tied for fifth with a 117 wRC+. Its 48 doubles in September were also the fourth most in baseball, which is particularly notable since T-Mobile Park is the league’s third-toughest stadium to hit doubles in, per Statcast.

Additionally, the Mariners continued to cause havoc on the basepaths with the second-most stolen bases (55) of any playoff team since the All-Star break.

“They can beat you from one to nine. They can hit the ball out of the ballpark, they can steal a bag – every single guy,” Buhner said. “Yeah, they rely on the long ball, but they were just double machines for a while there, too. And it’s a lot of fun to watch them when they get on the basepaths and then they steal a bag, start putting more pressure pitches on the pitcher, start creating havoc.”

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Buhner also has faith in the Mariners’ talented pitching staff. The group hasn’t reached the ridiculous levels it did last year, but all the major pieces remain. And it appeared to be hitting its stride late, posting the AL’s second-best ERA in September at 3.37.

“You know the pitching staff is going to shove, for sure,” Buhner said. “And then their bullpen has been lights out for them. It’s a (heck) of a combination they got going right now.”

On top of it all, Buhner sees a special connection in the Mariners’ clubhouse.

“Watching the clubhouse and the way they pull for one another, they’re a close-knit group. They fight for one another, man,” Buhner said. “They show up ready to play. I love everything about ’em.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. 

More on the Seattle Mariners

• The ALDS is set: Seattle Mariners will face Detroit Tigers
• Mariners Notebook: Bryan Woo’s status; scrimmage notes
• Mariners prospect Colt Emerson has day to remember in scrimmage
• Three reasons the Seattle Mariners are built for a deep October run
• Times for Seattle Mariners’ first two ALDS games announced

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