SEATTLE — The 2023 regular season has arrived for the Seattle Mariners and it's hard to remember a year with more expectations being placed upon the Emerald City's MLB franchise.
The Mariners extinguished a 20-year playoff drought a season ago and even won a postseason series against the rival Toronto Blue Jays before falling to the eventual World Series Champions.
However, following up a historic and successful season always comes with increased confidence, both within the organization and among a Mariners fanbase that is itching to finally capture its first American League (AL) title.
Here is a rundown of what you need to know about the 2023 edition of the Mariners.
Opening Day roster
In the infield, just about all of the starters from last year's team, save for one exception.
Cal "Big Dumper" Raleigh returns behind the plate after playing hero for the Mariners by hitting the walk-off home run that clinched the team's first playoff spot in 20 years.
Ty France once again will man first base, J.P. Crawford is at shortstop and Eugenio Suarez and all of his good vibes are back at the hot corner.
The one newcomer to the expected everyday starting infield is Kolten Wong. Coming over in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, Wong is a very strong fielder who has multiple Gold Glove Awards on his resume. Wong struggled with generating solid contact last season but brings a veteran presence and has quite a bit of playoff experience that could come in handy once October arrives.
In the outfield, Julio Rodriguez is back in center field after his Rookie of the Year campaign. Rodriguez is one of the league's brightest stars, and the Mariners will go as far as he can lead them in 2023.
Jarred Kelenic and AJ Pollock are expected to form a platoon in left field. Kelenic put together yet another strong spring training, but the former top prospect will need to prove he finally can translate that success outside of the state of Arizona. Pollock brings a strong arm after playing for the Chicago White Sox last season and was in the 71st percentile for max exit velocity among players in 2022.
Teoscar Hernandez is the most notable new name to the lineup in 2023 after coming over from the Toronto Blue Jays in an offseason trade. Hernandez hit 25 home runs in 2022 and brings a lot of power to an outfield loaded with sluggers. Hernandez's plate discipline will lead to a high number of strikeouts, but he might be a 30-plus home run hitter in 2023 if he plays up to his potential.
Tommy La Stella and Sam Haggerty round out the bench for the Mariners' Opening Day roster. Dylan Moore will be part of this group once he returns from an oblique injury that will keep him out of the lineup to begin the season.
Pitchers
The five-man starting rotation resembles the one that Seattle maintained through the back half of last season.
Luis Castillo will be the Opening Day starter for the Mariners and should be among the best pitchers in the division. Robbie Ray will be looking to rebound from an up-and-down 2022 season, and Logan Gilbert made huge strides in his second MLB season. Marco Gonzales is the longest-tenured member of the Mariners' rotation, and George Kirby will be trying to build on a breakout postseason in 2022 that included a save and throwing seven scoreless innings against the loaded Houston Astros lineup.
The Mariners' bullpen is among the deepest in the league, with eight quality arms that all have years of MLB experience. Paul Sewald and Andres Munoz should see most of the late-game innings, while Diego Castillo, Matt Brash, Chris Flexen, Penn Murfee, Matt Festa and Trevor Gott can deliver solid innings.
Odds
Per Draftkings Sportsbook, the Mariners are +1900 to win the World Series in 2023, the 11th best odds of any MLB team.
The team's over/under on wins is 87.5, just below the Mariners' 90-win total in 2022.
Rodriguez is +700 to win the AL MVP, the fourth-best odds of any player in the league. Robbie Ray is +1600, Luis Castillo is +1700 and Logan Gilbert is +1800 to win the AL Cy Young, with just 10 players getting a better chance at winning the award in 2023.
Predictions
Building off last year's success, I personally see the Mariners finishing with 95 wins, just slightly over their 2022 total. However, the juggernaut that is the Astros will remain the top dog in the AL West with another 100-win season.
Seattle will once again be in the AL Wild Card mix, and with a combination of timely hitting and some members of the pitching staff stepping up, the Mariners will advance to the ALCS.
However, World Series aspirations will have to wait another season in Seattle. The Mariners might need one more powerful bat in the lineup to truly overtake the rest of the AL, but the Mariners are firmly in the conversation among the top contenders.
MLB All-Star Week will make Seattle the epicenter of the baseball world this summer and the future is bright for the Mariners over the coming years.