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We had a feeling, didn't we? After the disappointing September collapse last year that saw the Mariners barely miss the playoffs, the pressure was on to not just get back to the playoffs, but make a statement.
After a brutal and embarrassing start to the offseason, Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander went to work. Despite a limited budget, they were able to rebuild their lineup without trading from their talented young pitchers. A decision that should pay massive dividends for years to come.
With the additions of Jorge Polanco, Luke Raley, Mitch Garver, and Mitch Haniger, the lineup was finally stable and gave no easy outs. The rotation, fueled with the confidence of a strong offensive partner, exceeded their strong 2023 numbers as the youth continued to develop. Remember, this is a look at what COULD happen, so let's get into the dream 2024 season for the Mariners, and see just how good it could turn out if things click.
A Dream First Half
Even with a few more blown saves than I would have liked to see, the Mariners finished April with a 3 game lead in the division. As the weather warmed up, so did the offense. Concerns about the health of the Mitch’s proved to be overblown. Haniger and Garver both saw action in over 130 games and both hit over 25 bombs while each posting a 120 OPS+.
The revolving door of horrible 2nd basemen finally ended, as underrated trade acquisition Jorge Polanco became JP Crawford and Julio Rodriguez’s personal RBI machine, leading all American League players in RBIs at the all-star break, where he would start as well.
Speaking of the all-star game, Seattle would roll into Texas for the Mid-Summer Classic at 58-40, good for the best record in the AL and 4 games up on Houston for the AL West lead. Joining Polanco in Texas were six Mariners. Cal Raleigh, Andres Munoz, and Luis Castillo made the team, while Polanco, Julio, and George Kirby not only made the team but earned the starting nods for the American League.