4 Mariners who are playing their way out of the team's 2026 plans

These Mariners probably won't be on the roster in 2026, for better or for worse.
Los Angeles Angels v Seattle Mariners
Los Angeles Angels v Seattle Mariners | Alika Jenner/GettyImages

The Seattle Mariners have had a tremendous finish to their 2025 season, and it likely means they will try to bring back most of their roster to run it back in 2026. Here are a few Mariners who have probably played themselves off next year's roster, for better or for worse.

These 4 Mariners are unlikely to be back in 2026

1. Jorge Polanco

This one is a bummer for the Mariners, because Polanco has been quite good in 2025. However, it feels like he will not exercise his end of the mutual option in his contract. He can probably make a lot more than $6 million (the value of the mutual option) if he tests the open market in free agency.

Polanco has had a tremendous bounce-back season for the Mariners, posting a career-high 133 OPS+ and 2.4 bWAR. The Mariners could attempt to re-sign him, but their money is probably better spent elsewhere, possibly on Josh Naylor, considering the Mariners have Cole Young and Colt Emerson waiting in the wings to play second base.

2. Eugenio Suárez

This one hurts, because no player has captured the hearts of Mariners' fans quite like Suárez. He came to Seattle in 2022 and brought good vibes to help lead the team back to the playoffs, and has done so again this season. Suárez has 65 home runs as a Mariner, and along with Julio Rodríguez, J.P. Crawford, and Cal Raleigh, he'll be one of just four members of the lineup to play in the postseason twice this decade.

Yet, Suárez has shown in 2023 and '25 that he struggles to hit in Seattle. He's a career .247 hitter, but with the Mariners, he hits .228. This season, he's hitting .190 since being traded to the Mariners. He's still at a 98 OPS+, making him just slightly below-average since the trade, but he's been worth just 0.3 bWAR.

Because of his tremendous power, Suárez is another player likely to command a huge sum of money this offseason. Although the vibes are great, it probably should not be with the Mariners.

3. Mitch Garver

Garver has been worth -0.3 bWAR since signing with the Mariners on Christmas Eve of 2023. The backup catcher will not have a place on the team next year with Harry Ford's arrival, and that is definitely for the best. There is no reason to keep Garver on the roster with Ford ready to take over his job next year.

4. Luke Raley

Raley has not done much for the Mariners in 2025, and it feels like his role on the team has been almost completely replaced by the emergence of Dominic Canzone and the trade for Josh Naylor. Assuming Naylor is resigned by Seattle (which is a big assumption), Raley would not have a spot on the roster.

The Mariners could choose to bring back Raley as a utility outfielder and backup first baseman, but there's probably also a chance he gets non-tendered this offseason.