Players' pick for most surprising team will infuriate Mariners fans further

As spring training begins to wrap up, MLB.com’s beat writers conducted a survey across various clubhouses, asking over 100 players which team they believed would be the biggest surprise or Cinderella story of the upcoming season.

The answer? The Athletics, who received more than ten votes above any other team. That result, no doubt, may leave Seattle Mariners fans scratching their heads, if not outright frustrated.

What's with the love for the A's?

The A’s were forced to spend money this offseason and, to their credit, they did. They locked down rising star Lawrence Butler, extended what was once a trade chip in Brent Rooker, and brought in Luis Severino, who's now the ace of their pitching staff.

The A's finished the 2024 first half at a dismal 37-61, but then managed to play .500 baseball after the All-Star break. However, the question remains: What exactly do players mean by calling the A’s a “surprise team” in 2025? Do they think they have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs?

Even with their spending spree, the A’s aren’t projected (see FanGraphs, for example) to finish higher than fourth place in the AL West, the same spot they landed in 2024. Does that really make them a surprise team? Barely outpacing the Los Angeles Angels, who fell off a cliff several seasons ago and have yet to recover, doesn’t exactly scream Cinderella story.

If anything, the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds, who finished right behind the A’s in the survey, seem like more legitimate contenders for division titles.

Was overlooking the Mariners a mistake?

For those wondering where the Mariners landed on that list, yes, they did receive votes. However, Seattle’s relatively quiet offseason may have made them less intriguing to those surveyed. But overlooking the Mariners in this discussion would be a major misstep.

Sure, the M’s could have added another bat or two, but let’s look at the facts. For example, J.P. Crawford, Jorge Polanco, and Mitch Garver are all coming off their worst seasons, and the numbers weren’t even close. While Crawford’s power remained intact, his overall production dipped. But with Crawford and Polanco returning healthy after a 2024 season plagued by nagging injuries, there’s little reason to believe they’ll replicate those struggles.

Meanwhile, Garver has been leading the team in home runs during spring training. Though he’s temporarily sidelined after taking a pitch to the hand, he’s already shown his offseason work is paying off.

Add in Victor Robles and Randy Arozarena, who injected much-needed energy into the lineup, and consider that the Mariners missed the playoffs by just one game last year. With a starting rotation that continues to improve and multiple young arms turning into Cy Young Award candidates, how can Seattle not be considered in this situation?

Meanwhile, the A’s situation is hardly ideal, playing in a minor league stadium in Sacramento’s blistering heat for half the year. The Houston Astros have merely filled the gaps left from last season. And on top of that, the Texas Rangers, who weren’t healthy last year, are simply another year older.

If anything, 2025 is the Mariners’ best chance to seize control of the AL West. Seattle enters this season with a roster full of players with something to prove, and they’ve been vocal about it. While this survey is just the opinion of 100 or so MLB players, it could serve as bulletin board material for a team that’s being overlooked.

The Mariners will kick off their season on March 27th in a series against none other than the A’s. From that point forward, they’ll have 162 games to prove the doubters wrong.