Bump & Stacy: 3 reasons Mariners will improve on 2025 record

The Seattle Mariners’ spectacular 2025 season ended in heartbreak, but it also gave M’s fans something they’d never seen before. Yes, Cal Raleigh’s historic 60-home run season was a first for baseball, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.

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Instead, I’m talking about where that heartbreak and history simultaneously met: the 7th inning of an ALCS Game 7. It was gutting, and I don’t need to waste time reminding you what happened. But the close of that game, and of the season, also signaled a turn for Seattle. Falling eight outs away from your first World Series stings, but being closer than you’ve ever been ignites a new drive.

The only way to get there? Improve.

Here are three reasons why Michael Bumpus, myself and Bump and Stacy show producer Curtis Rogers are confident the Mariners will improve on their 2025 record.

Bump: A healthy rotation and Julio’s growth

Starting pitchers George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller all spent time on the injured list last year. A September pectoral injury sidelined Bryan Woo, who’d been the healthiest and best arm during the regular season, and saw him left off the ALDS roster. The Mariners aren’t guaranteed health, but a full season from more than one starter shouldn’t be too much to ask for, right?

Outside of that, Bump is eyeing continued development from Julio Rodríguez, who will be just 25 years old this season. As Bump pointed out, Rodríguez’s first and second-half season splits might be frustrating, but he’s also a three-time All-Star who’s only now entering the prime of his career.

Stacy: Experience

It feels light and fluffy to throw more intangible additions, like more playoff experience, into the mix here. But it feels especially relevant when we’re talking about a team that has been there so infrequently.

Building those callouses is important. Feeling what it means to both manage and play in October matters. This year’s Mariners have a combination of real, quantifiable things – like a healthier rotation and a great lineup – but also hunger from coming up just short. I know that experience was heartbreaking for players and fans, but that was also valuable. Players felt what it took to get there, and I’d wager manager Dan Wilson learned a few lessons as well.

Curtis: The top half of the order is better than it was to start 2025

April and May records matter more when you’re trying to make the leap from 90 wins to 94 or 95 wins. Good news: the team Seattle is rolling out in April is better than last year’s.

“It’s in a better starting spot than you were last opening day, when you were just waiting on, well, maybe this guy bounces back, maybe we can get something from Rowdy Tellez,” Rogers said. “I don’t think we can emphasize enough how big of an improvement Josh Naylor is over Rowdy Tellez at first base.”

Rather than a rash of platoons, the Mariners are hitting the ground running with a full season of Naylor and the addition of 2025 All-Star Brendan Donovan as a leadoff hitter.

More on the Seattle Mariners

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• 3 Seattle Mariners Injury Updates: Brash, Miller, and now Robles
• Seattle Mariners’ Canzone blasts 2nd-deck home run in WBC
• Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodríguez homers, has 3 RBIs in WBC opener
• The best M’s vs M’s matchups we could see in World Baseball Classic

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