Mariners Hot Start Away From Safeco Could Challenge 2001 Team Record

The Seattle Mariners are winning at a record breaking pace away from home to start the 216 season.

The Mariners have never been good on the road; they are 1333-1740 in 39 years. Since their inaugural season in 1977, the team has had a winning road record 7 times. Out of those 7, only 1 other time has the team also played better on the road than at home- that was back in 2001 when the team came one game shy of tying the 1906 Chicago Cubs for the most road wins in a season. The 2016 Mariner’s are looking like they might give the record-setting team of ’01 a run for their money the way they have come out of the gate away from home so far.

On Sunday the Mariners joined an exclusive club taking their 4th straight road series to start a season; their company? That 01’ M’s team and the 97’ Mariners. During that 4-series stretch the Mariners have posted an impressive 8-4 record, giving them the most road wins in baseball through the first 3 weeks.

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The success away from Safeco Field hasn’t gone unnoticed; Kyle Seager spoke with reporters after the game stating, “You go on the road and win every series, that’s pretty good,” It is so good in fact that if the 2016 Mariners kept up this pace, they would finish 54-27 at their home(s) away from home, making it only the 2nd best road win total since, you guessed it, the 2001 squad.

Manager Scott Servais is admittedly nervous for his club to head back to Seattle where they are 1-5 on the year. If Dae-Ho Lee hadn’t hit a walk-off home run to end their last home-stand 12 days ago, the M’s would still be looking for that elusive first win. Servais should be at ease though knowing his de-facto ace, Taijuan Walker (1-0, 1.50 ERA) will be taking the mound looking to get his team-leading 4th quality start in as many tries.

Next: M’s Soar Past Angels in Anaheim

Whether or not the Mariners continue to struggle at home during this 6-game stretch to end April, starting with the Houston Astros (fingers crossed they don’t), the M’s can look forward to heading back out on the road on May 2nd, when they will face their division foes the Oakland Athletics as they look to continue their quest to dethroning the 2001 Mariners as the franchises’ best road team.