Mariners eliminated, face host of questions for '25

SEATTLE -- Elimination arrived for the Mariners in a helpless way on Thursday, while they were idle and hoping to have something to play for in front of their home fans for the final three games.

At 82 wins, even with a sweep vs. Oakland, the Mariners can finish with no more than 85 victories -- the threshold that both the Tigers and Royals reached with victories on Thursday. Each of those teams owns a tiebreaker over Seattle.

Questions about the long-term future, regardless of this weekend’s outcome, have been at the forefront since the club parted ways with manager Scott Servais last month and installed Dan Wilson as his replacement with no interim tag. That, and a report from The Seattle Times two weeks later that president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto would return in 2025, which the club has not confirmed.

It wasn’t necessarily timely for the club to answer these questions while still in the playoff race. But that didn’t stop the Mariners from being asked this week in Houston.

“The focus is on the postseason at this point,” Wilson said before Wednesday’s 8-1 win. “And the offseason is a good time for all that stuff. And right now, I think the focus has remained [on] what needs to happen on the field, and that's where we'll continue to be until this thing is over.”

With collaboration from Dipoto, who was with the Mariners throughout their final road trip, Wilson will face decisions on Seattle’s coaching staff for 2025 and how his larger philosophies mesh with the front office.

Beyond the “new voice” that Wilson has brought -- which Dipoto cited as a leading cause when Servais was relieved of his duties -- Wilson has also operated differently than his predecessor, be it through an almost daily consistent lineup construction, bullpen management, bench substitutions and messaging to players.

He was asked specifically about his correspondence with the front office when it comes to his core beliefs and those of Dipoto and his staff.

“I think that obviously there's time for reflection in the offseason,” Wilson said. “I think we've seen some good results from what [hitting coach Edgar Martinez] has done and what he's brought and some of the offensive things that have happened. It's just a matter of trying to look at those and compound those things that are positive and eliminate the ones that aren't. And we'll just keep looking at it, keep assessing it, moving forward with it.”

Wilson’s first task upon being hired was adding Martinez as Seattle’s replacement to Jarret DeHart, who was let go with Servais on Aug. 22. Martinez’s simplistic messaging has resonated throughout the clubhouse -- most notably with Julio Rodríguez, who’s seen a September resurgence. But Martinez was only named to his role for the remainder of the 2024 season.

There’s been no indication about whether or not Martinez will return to his post, which he also held from midway through 2015 through the end of '18. But the 61-year-old has repeatedly said, “I’m enjoying it.”

Pitching coach Pete Woodworth and director of pitching strategy Trent Blank would presumably be invited back, given their resounding success with one of MLB’s best pitching staffs. Beyond that, though, the scope of the 2025 coaching staff is unclear.

How the front office addresses the roster will also be of tremendous intrigue, given the clear needs for impact offense after many of last offseason’s additions experienced significant struggles this year.

That group is comprised of Mitch Haniger and Mitch Garver -- who are both under contract for a combined $27.5 million -- as well as Jorge Polanco -- who has a $12 million club option or a $750,000 buyout. Luis Urías, who earned $5 million this year and will likely be non-tendered, is also in this category.

The Mariners did find success with outfielders Luke Raley and Victor Robles, but there are still significant gaps to bridge between an oft-scuffling lineup and an elite pitching staff.

There’s also the question of how they financially do so -- especially given the many in-house salary raises.

George Kirby and Cal Raleigh are eligible for arbitration for the first time, while Logan Gilbert ($4.05 million in 2024) and Randy Arozarena ($8.1 million) are eligible again and slated for notable raises. Plus, Rodríguez’s megadeal will kick into a much higher gear, slated to jump from $12,185,714 to $20,185,714.

The club also faced budgetary constraints related to its regional sports network last winter, and it’s unclear how much those could impact payroll next year.

The Mariners received blunt clarity on Thursday to their remaining hopes in 2024. But they now face a series of questions for '25.