Mariners fans fired up by ESPN insider's spring training review

Being a fan of the Seattle Mariners isn't for the faint of heart. It's a franchise with fewer ups than downs. And after a frustrating winter, it didn't seem like there was much to look forward to come Opening Day.

However, after nearly 20 spring training games, it seems like the team is giving fans and experts plenty to be excited about.

In a recent interview with Seattle Sports radio show Brock and Salk, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan expressed a bullish sentiment after visiting the Mariners camp in Peoria, notably saying the experience made him think more about picking Seattle to win the AL West in 2025.

In making his case, Passan highlighted three key points.

Jeff Passan's case for the Mariners

The first was Dan Wilson's position as manager. While he came into the role under dire circumstances following the sudden firing of Scott Servais, he helped lead a major offensive resurgence for the team in the final portion of the 2024 season. Now he has a chance to get a full 162-game season under his belt, and his position as a franchise legend has allowed him to develop strong bonds with his squad.

"“I think they really like Dan Wilson and like playing for him and have a pretty deep respect for him...and for him to have engendered that over less than a year in his seat is impressive, and I think he’s an impressive guy.”"

Jeff Passan

The second was the potential return to form for Julio Rodríguez. Entering his fourth year in the big leagues, a popular topic of conversation is whether he'll be able to return to MVP form and avoid the typical first-half slump we've seen from him all too frequently.

The team has made a concerted effort to give him more work in spring training, and he's putting up pretty good numbers so far. Across 25 at-bats, he has a .810 OPS with three doubles and two home runs.

Finally, the organization's farm system continues to be an encouraging sign of a bright future. The top prospects have been especially impressive this spring and could make an impact in the latter half of 2025 if all goes right. Even if they aren't the right fit for the major league lineup, their value as trade assets could net the Mariners the talent they need for a postseason push at the trade deadline.

For the past few months, the front office has been one of the few parties expressing confidence in the roster as is, making small tweaks while holding the line on bigger moves. Spring training isn't a perfect indicator of future regular season performance, but it's a sign that maybe they were right all along.