The Mariners might still be the only MLB team never to make it to the World Series, but that doesn’t take away from the incredible run they had this year. In fact, the way they were proceeding this year, nothing short of a World Series was expected. Even their star slugger, Cal Raleigh, can’t help but say, “We expected to get to the World Series and win the World Series.”

However, the 4-3 loss to Toronto in Game 7 of the ALCS marked the end of the most exciting Mariners season in a generation, getting closer to the pennant than ever before. And how did it end? Just one swing by the Blue Jays. But even though the season finished that way, the team can still take pride in how far they went.

Now, with the offseason here, it’s time to start thinking about next year… But insiders warn that looming challenges could derail another strong run. “I think you’re going to have to fill a 60-homer, 125 RBI season from Cal Raleigh. It’s very hard to duplicate something like that. Look, I know he’s a great player, but you have to imagine the numbers are going to come down to earth a little bit.” Insiders at the Talkin’ Baseball podcast are certain about what’s coming next for Raleigh.

Raleigh is now the AL’s single-season home run king when you combine regular-season and postseason totals. His 65 HRs in 2025 topped Aaron Judge’s previous AL record of 64 from 2022, cementing Raleigh’s spot among the league’s all-time power hitters.

However, such numbers aren’t something you can expect every year. Take Judge, for example… In 2022, he hit .311 with 62 HRs. But the following year, he dropped to a .267 average with 37 HRs. Hence, following that trend, it’s realistic to expect some dip in Raleigh’s stats next season.

And it’s not just Raleigh, but a few other key Mariners players like Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor are reportedly testing free agency. Naylor, who posted a 3.1 bWAR and .816 OPS this past season, could command a contract near $100 million, according to Bleacher Report, which the Mariners might not match. So, losing talent like that could make it harder for the team to keep this year’s momentum going into next season.

The Mariners have more gaps to fill

Under the bright lights of the Mariners’ dream run this year, few gaps might have gone unnoticed.

Talking about their pitching lineup, George Kirby struggled in October with a 6.00 ERA, and Randy Arozarena wasn’t much better with a .575 OPS. On top of that, the bottom third of Seattle’s lineup barely produced throughout the 12 postseason games, really limiting the team’s ability to score.

Even in the regular season, there were signs of trouble…

The Mariners ended up with a moderate team ERA despite having plenty of talented pitchers. Why? Because Kirby had a rough year, finishing with a 4.21 ERA. The back end of the rotation wasn’t much better as Bryce Miller, Emerson Hancock, and Logan Evans each made at least 15 starts and posted ERAs over 4.30.

So, while Seattle’s starting rotation looks elite on paper, its depth behind the starters can get exposed. And so, the fans should probably expect the Mariners to make a few moves in the offseason to address these gaps.