The 2026 Major League Baseball season will begin shortly. At Passion MLB, as has been the case for years, we are setting the stage for the season by introducing the 30 teams of Major League Baseball.
The Seattle Mariners ended their 2025 season dramatically on October 20, losing 4-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. The loss at Rogers Centre in Toronto dashed the Mariners’ hopes of reaching their first-ever World Series.
Dan Wilson’s men came very close to facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in what could have been a grand finale in the American West.
The last season was marked by spectacular performances by Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. He caught the attention of the baseball world by hitting 60 home runs, a new record for a player in his position. He finished second in the American League Most Valuable Player voting, just behind Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
How much did MLB fans care about the BBWAA MVP announcements?It was the most-watched MVP Show in @MLBNetwork's history dating back to 2012, with Aaron Judge barely beating out Cal Raleigh for the AL MVP and Shohei Ohtani unanimously winning the NL MVP.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 18, 2025
Raleigh alone was worth the price of admission to T-Mobile Park, the team’s home stadium. The 29-year-old catcher wasn’t the only important cog in the Washington State team’s success, as they won the West Division by three games over their closest rivals, the Houston Astros.
The team’s hitters, despite injuries, were all excellent, with players such as Randy Arozarena, J.P. Crawford, and Julio Rodriguez making their mark offensively. The addition of Canadian Josh Naylor at the end of the season also paid dividends, allowing the Mariners to give the Toronto Blue Jays a scare.
The Mariners’ biggest acquisition was Brandon Donovan from St. Louis. The third baseman was a highly sought-after athlete given the winds of change currently blowing in Missouri. Several teams showed interest in Donovan, but in the end, it was the Mariners who made the best offer to secure his services. The trade involved three clubs, including the Tampa Bay Rays. The Mariners traded prospects Jurrangelo Cijntje and Tai Peete to improve their short-term lineup. Josh Naylor’s five-year contract was also a highlight of the team’s offseason. The first baseman will continue the work he started in 2025 at a cost of $92.5 million.
Josh Naylor's contract with the Mariners is for five years, $92.5M, source tells @TheAthletic.