One year after the Mariners made the 2025 ALCS, Seattle, much like the Blue Jays, has not come close to running away with things. Yes, the Mariners are still in the thick of the AL West playoff race. However, it was an uneven first half.
The Offense
| Stat | Number | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Runs Scored | 392 | t-26th |
| Home Runs | 114 | t-14th |
| OPS | .690 | t-26th |
| Whiff% | 26.8 | 26th |
| Hard Hit% | 38.7 | 18th |
The Pitching
| Stat | Number | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Starters’ ERA | 3.64 | 6th |
| Relievers’ ERA | 3.56 | 4th |
| Strikeouts | 825 | 11th |
| Whiff% | 25.2 | 14th |
| Chase% | 32.3 | 3rd |
The Good
The Mariners’ strength is the rotation, and that was very much true over the first half.
Logan Gilbert and George Kirby were both effective horses in the first half, as the two each threw at least 110 innings in the first half and posted a sub-4.00 ERA. Bryce Miller, meanwhile, came back with a vengeance after he missed the start of the season on the IL. Miller struck out 65 over 57 innings and posted a 2.18 ERA before the break.
But perhaps the best story was none of those pitchers. All three of them had considerable success in the rotation before 2026. Former first-round pick Emerson Hancock, meanwhile, hadn’t — until this year. Hancock, who leaned heavily on the four-seamer from a lower arm angle, struck out 94 over 99 IP and recorded an ERA just a shade over 3.00.
It took a while for Hancock, considered one of the best prospects in the 2020 MLB Draft, to find success at the big-league level.
As for the offense, it was led by some familiar faces. Randy Arozarena posted a .380 on-base percentage and was a sparkplug for the Mariners. Julio Rodriguez hit 14 home runs and 29 extra-base hits over the first half. And Luke Raley hit well as a platoon hitter.
But one player who forced his way into the regular lineup was Dominic Canzone. Canzone slashed .264/.335/.529 with 29 extra-base hits, tied with Julio Rodriguez for the second-most on the club.
Brendan Donovan, the big acquisition by the Mariners over the winter, also hit very well, as he posted an .839 OPS. But Seattle didn’t see much of him in the first half.
The Bad
There were growing pains for Colt Emerson, the Mariners’ rookie infielder, who was given a lofty extension before he even debuted in the Majors. Emerson slashed .201/.275/.396 over the first half across 45 contests, which also saw him strike out 55 times.
Emerson was called upon to play in May after Brendan Donovan landed on the IL. Donovan hit well in his first few weeks in Seattle. Unfortunately, he missed two months after he was placed on the injured list with a groin strain.
Lastly, Cal Raleigh went through it in the first half. Not only did he miss time on the IL but Raleigh’s power numbers also dipped precipitously. He slashed .169/.271/.310 in the first half.
Looking Ahead
The Mariners have floated around .500 over the past few weeks, and that’s good enough to hang in what’s turned into a three-team race for the AL West.
However, Seattle will obviously need the big bats for the second half, including Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, the latter of whom returned from the IL after the break.
Check out more of our MLB coverage.