The Seattle Mariners started the year out way better than people expected. They started the season off with a 13-2 record during their first 15 games. Now as they head into May, the team is sitting at a .500 record. However, the team did not have high expectations as they were looking towards a rebuilding year for the ball club. During the off-season, they got rid of a lot of their core players such as Jean Segura, Nelson Cruz, James Paxton, and Edwin Diaz.
According to an article from CBS Sports, the Mariners now own the longest playoff drought in all pro-American sports. The team was last in the playoffs during the 2001 season. That was during Ichiro's rookie season, and he is now retired if that doesn't explain enough. I have been going to Mariners games before I could even walk and I have never seen an MLB postseason game ever. The looks of this season started promisingly for us Mariner fans until we started having losing streaks as of late. The Mariners have started the month of May with a 1-5 record and are currently on a 4-game losing streak.
The team has developed a strong farm system from the acquisitions of Justus Sheffield, Kyle Lewis, and Jarred Kelenic. It might be a while until we start seeing consistent success from this team. It feels like every year we get so close to making the playoffs and then we end up short every season. I hope to see the ball club keep their top prospects and build something that will benefit the team in the long run.
During a press release from Baseball America with general manager Jerry Dipoto, he explained how he is looking for a team that is versatile and athletic. By getting rid of a lot of these big contracts from their old core of players the Mariners were able to get key prospects that will soon be making a big appearance. The only good thing that can come from the Mariners starting to tank is that we can see these top prospects in action as early as this season. However, the team currently stands at 2nd in the AL West behind the Houston Astros.
The Mariners have upcoming series against the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics so hopefully, they can start seeing some wins and get back into contention. They have shown this season that they can compete in the American league during the beginning of the season.
