The Mariners had high expectations coming into the 2023 season. After all, Seattle had just broken a 21-year postseason drought by reaching the playoffs via an American League Wild Card spot in '22.

The Mariners defeated the Blue Jays in the Wild Card round, and while they weren’t able to advance past the AL Division Series, the excitement surrounding the club was palpable. But then a slow start to the 2023 campaign put Seattle in a tough spot entering the second half. As late as July 19, the Mariners were under .500, and they eventually missed the postseason.

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According to one recently signed player, however, there’s plenty of reason to be excited for what the Mariners could do in 2024.

“The [pitching] staff is unbelievable,” said veteran catcher Mitch Garver in an interview on MLB Network Radio on Thursday. “The pitching staff alone -- it’s one of those teams you just really don’t like to face too often.”

Garver, who signed a two-year, $24 million contract to join Seattle, is coming off a season in which he helped the division-rival Rangers win the first World Series title in franchise history. Although he’s dealt with injuries throughout his career, he’s been very productive when in the lineup -- he averaged 30 home runs with an .825 OPS per 162 games over the first seven seasons of his Major League career.

The acquisition of Garver, along with the reacquisition of Mitch Haniger and a trade with the Rays that brought in Luke Raley, adds pop to a lineup that needed some behind superstar center fielder Julio Rodríguez. And as Garver mentioned, the pitching staff is formidable from top to bottom.

The starting rotation features veteran right-hander Luis Castillo, who is followed by a pair of rising young righties -- George Kirby and Logan Gilbert. The trade with the Giants that brought back Haniger also included right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, who, when healthy, could be a difference-maker. And the bullpen posted a 3.48 ERA last season, fourth-best in the Majors.

Garver said that the Mariners were the most aggressive when it came to pursuing the 33-year-old free agent. And he described the move as “the perfect fit from Day 1.”

“They have really good young talent,” Garver said. “They have an MVP-caliber center fielder in Julio. There’s a lot of things to be excited about in this organization.”

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