What would a successful season look like for the Mariners in 2025?

Over the past few months, many fans have spent so much time thinking about the Seattle Mariners' shortcomings that discussions about a best-case scenario seem almost absurd. After all, what's the point of setting high expectations only to watch them fall out of reach by July?

However, many may be selling the Mariners short. There isn't much to be concretely excited about, but much of the negative sentiment has created a downward spiral of doom and gloom that has obfuscated many of the possible tailwinds for the club heading into 2025.

The Mariners actually do have things going for them in 2025

First, several pieces acquired in trades will get a full season to positively impact the team in 2025. Second, while it wasn't quite enough for Seattle to make the playoffs, the benefits of a fresh offensive approach really began to show last September, when the squad's .780 OPS was third-best in MLB.

And third, there's a chance the Mariners will get an infusion of outstanding young talent from their farm system as their top prospects continue to flourish in the minor leagues.

So in the spirit of optimism, what would Seattle have to accomplish this year for it to be considered a success?

For one, they could win the World Series, which is of course the goal of all 30 MLB teams. But in order to do that, they would have to win the AL pennant, something they've never been able to do. In fact, they are the only organization for which that is the case.

Aspirations are one thing, but this probably isn't a good time for a team with a middling payroll to have championship expectations, given the state of spending disparity around the league. So how can we set our sights on a more realistic goal?

A happy middle ground might be making it to the Division Series, whether through an AL West championship or a successful Wild Card Series. The former could guarantee a spot in the Division Series, whereas the latter would leave the team's chances up to fate, requiring them to earn a Wild Card and then subsequently winning a three-game set against their first-round opponent.

This year might be the Mariners' best chance to seize the top spot in the AL West, given the current lull in the Houston Astros dynasty, and some experts are actually giving them a fair shake. At the very least, they've got a clear shot to contend, unlike the Los Angeles Angels or Athletics.

The easy part of the question is answering what wouldn't constitute a success and that would be another year of the same pattern Seattle fans have become all too accustomed with over the past 25 years.

Another season with fewer than 90 wins and an October spent at home simply will not stand with people who have been supporting this club through nearly three decades of disappointment. Even if we see individual milestones and accomplishments like Julio Rodríguez returning to MVP form or one of the team's star arms winning a Cy Young award, it won't count for much at the end of the day if they aren't able to succeed as a group.

The offseason was a disappointment, but the front office remains steadfast in their confidence. Ultimately, all that matters is the number in the wins column and the Mariners logo showing up in the playoff bracket come the postseason.