An improbable list of things that went right in Mariners' doomed 2026 season

Just one year ago, the Mariners were in the middle of a postseason run for the ages. October in the Pacific Northwest was filled with baseball and some serious excitement about what might come next for the M's.

*Sigh*

Now, Seattle is feeling a little more deflated. While "underwhelming" is one of the kinder ways to describe the Mariners' 2026 season, there were a few things that went right this year. The silver linings may have been buried beneath the disappointments, but they are still there. And if we look close enough, some of them might even point toward a brighter future.

Things that somehow went right for the Mariners this season

This list starts off with designated hitter Dominic Canzone. He really came through this season, and in the process, played his way into becoming a legitimate part of the Mariners' lineup. His .264/.336/.484 slash line and .820 OPS were both career bests and he finally looks like a player that Seattle can actually count on.

While his development doesn't erase the team's failures this season, it does help brighten up a gloomy picture. Especially when considering what the roster might look like moving forward.

Then there's Cole Young. Not only did he play well defensively, he became a reliable bat in the middle of the order while still showing that he could move into the leadoff spot when injuries forced Seattle to move things around. Although he slowed down a bit during the final stretch of the season, he showed serious improvement and the potential to grow. In just his second major-league season, Young seems to have found his confidence, and his place in Seattle.

Emerson Hancock also deserves a shoutout. After a difficult start to his major-league career, his 2026 display established himself as a legitimate member of the Mariners' starting rotation. He posted a 3.57 ERA for the season, and despite a stint on IL in August, he showed serious improvement over previous years.

Seattle also seems to have done something right when it comes to the Luis Castillo trade. While it wasn't the easiest decision to say goodbye to such an important part of the organization, Castillo's contract was difficult to justify, and Seattle moved him right before his decline became a serious problem.

The more, the merrier for the Mariners

Another upside to this season was that the Mariners were able to introduce four big names into the Majors without seeing any real negative side effects. Colt Emerson, Kade Anderson, Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo all made their debuts. While it's fair to wonder whether some of them could have helped out sooner, it's also fair to argue that there was no reason to rush them. The important part is that they are here now, performing well, and none of them have reached their ceiling yet.

This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning the year that Randy Arozarena had. While he is likely to say goodbye to Seattle as he enters free agency, he did all he could for the Mariners. He put up an impressive 113 runs this season, the second-best in MLB behind only Pete Crow-Armstrong. Not only did he achieve multiple career-highs, he was the best Mariner by far. If this is his final season, at least the Mariners got a good one out of him.

While the positives certainly don't erase the failures that happened throughout all of the 2026 season, they do somewhat soften the blow and bring a little bit of hope for a brighter 2027.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow