How will the Mariners do in 2024? Fans and Sodo Mojo predict what will happen this year

Pushing towards 90 wins... and our first missed playoff prediction

Jeff Nooney: 89-73: Wild Card

I think the Mariners are going to be competitive in 2024, coming in second in the AL West, earning a wild card spot. 89-73 gets it done, with Houston winning the division. The Team MVP is going to be Julio, who completes the first 40/40 season in club history. With the Cole injury, I think Luis Castillo wins the AL Cy Young award, and has the ERA title. As for the playoffs, I think they make it to the ALCS, and face those same Astros, and beat them in 6 games, earning their first World Series trip. They lose in 6 to the Dodgers, tho.

Nic Cunningham: 90-72: 2nd in AL West: Wild Card

The Seattle Mariners failed to make a big splash this offseason and made multiple cost-cutting moves such as trading away Eugenio Suarez for Seby Zavala and Carlos Vargas. However, they did succeed in making some small additions that left this year’s lineup better than last year’s iteration. Mitch Garver’s bat will instantly provide some much-needed run production, and Jorge Polanco is an above-average hitter at second base. 

Seattle still boasts an elite pitching staff, anchored by a big three of Luis Castillo, George Kirby, and Logan Gilbert. The Mariners added to their bullpen with the acquisitions of Gregory Santos and Ryne Stanek. They had the opportunity to go after Blake Snell to build an even more dominant rotation, perhaps trading one of Bryce Miller, Emerson Hancock, or Bryan Woo for a bat, but chose to stand pat instead. 

While the lineup is much different than last season’s, it should be slightly more productive. Combined with arguably the best starting pitching rotation in the MLB and a strong bullpen, this Mariners team looks poised to compete with the Astros for the AL West title.

Still, if the front office was given the budget they expected, this team could have been even better. While I expect Seattle to make the playoffs, fans will notice the lack of big-time acquisitions the team made throughout the season. The make the playoffs after finishing second in the AL West, but end up losing in the ALDS.