AL rival's bad injury news could work to Mariners' advantage in 2025

While the 2025 season has yet to officially kick off, the injury bug has already started to bite. Though the Seattle Mariners haven't seen any new names get sidelined and recent news about recovery timelines has been encouraging, other teams in the American League haven't been so fortunate.

It's a good thing the New York Yankees were one of the more active teams this offseason given the latest news on some of their biggest names. While Giancarlo Stanton has dealt with recurring health concerns throughout his career, his most recent run-in with pain in both of his elbows will cause him to begin the season on the injured list.

Even more disastrous is the team's loss of Luis Gil. The reigning AL Rookie of the Year complained of shoulder discomfort before receiving an MRI and being diagnosed with a lat strain, an issue that will decommission him for at least six weeks.

The Mariners could catch the Yankees at the right time in May

The Yankees may not be AL West rivals, but they're slated to match up with the Mariners six times this season. The first three games will occur from May 12-14, meaning there's a possibility that neither Gil nor Stanton will be activated depending on the time it takes for them to return to action.

Gil was especially effective against Seattle last year, posting a 0.79 ERA in two starts that covered 11.1 innings. Mariners fans may remember that the second outing was characterized by an odd baserunning blunder by Victor Robles.

It may seem small, but an extra win or two over the Yankees could be the difference between a playoff ticket and yet another failed regular season.

Last year, the Mariners ended up just one win behind the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals for an AL Wild Card spot, a situation that could've been flipped if they had just pulled it together for one outing. Presently, FanGraphs has projected the Mariners to win 84 games next year, tied with the Houston Astros and just one fewer than the Texas Rangers.

Outside of the potential impact on the team's results over a 162-game season, this projection should stand as a testament to the durability of Seattle's rotation. While teams across the league have suffered from the fallout of the ongoing starting pitcher injury epidemic, the only Mariners starter to really lose playing time in 2024 was Bryan Woo, who still managed a 2.89 ERA over 121.1 innings. One can only hope their good luck will persist into the foreseeable future.