2023 Seattle Mariners season

The 2023 Seattle Mariners season was the 47th season in franchise history. The Mariners played their 24th full season (25th overall) at T-Mobile Park, their home ballpark in Seattle, Washington. After making the playoffs in 2022 and having a 90.2% chance to make the playoffs on September 2 while in first place in the American League (AL) West, the Mariners missed the postseason. The Mariners drew an average home attendance of 33,215 in 81 home games, the 10th highest in Major League Baseball.

The Mariners hosted the All-Star Game on July 11. Center fielder Julio Rodríguez and pitchers Luis Castillo and George Kirby were selected as All-Stars. Rodríguez also competed in the Home Run Derby.

Offseason

Roster changes In , the Mariners reached the postseason and American League Division Series for the first time since . President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto made several trades to bolster the club. The team acquired right fielder Teoscar Hernández from the Toronto Blue Jays for relievers Erik Swanson and Adam Macko. Second baseman Kolton Wong was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro. Former Rookie of the Year Award winner Kyle Lewis was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Cooper Hummel. The team made a few small free agent signings, with outfielder A. J. Pollock signing for $7 million, reliever Trevor Gott signing for $1.2 million, and infielder Tommy La Stella signing for the MLB minimum $720,000. Offseason waiver claims Gabe Speier, Tayler Saucedo, and J. B. Bukauskas all pitched in relief for Seattle in 2023.

MLB rule changes Pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement, rule changes for the season included:

institution of a pitch clock between pitches limits on pickoff attempts per plate appearance limits on defensive shifts, requiring two infielders to be on either side of second base and be within the boundary of the infield larger bases ( squares; previously )

Regular season Season standings

American League West

American League standings

Record vs. opponents Record vs. American League

Record vs. National League

Season summary The Mariners played .500 baseball during their first 100 games of the season. The team spent most of June and July eight to ten games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. Seattle traded closer Paul Sewald at the July trade deadline to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Dominic Canzone, Josh Rojas, and Ryan Bliss. Sewald would close games in the playoffs, but his replacement closer, Andrés Muñoz, was named the AL Reliever of the Month for August after getting eight saves. Center fielder Julio Rodríguez, the AL Player of the Month for August, led the team to a franchise-record 21 wins in August. The team held its first division lead of the season on August 27, but never led by more than one game, last sharing the division lead on September 4. Seattle faced division rivals Texas and the Houston Astros for the final 10 games of the season but lost four of the first five of those games and was eliminated from the playoffs. After being eliminated, catcher Cal Raleigh criticized the team's management for trading Sewald and not bringing in more players. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto told reporters after the season that his goal was for the Mariners to win 54 percent of their games. He later apologized for his remarks and said he is trying to win a championship.

The Mariners had strong starting pitching, despite losing starters Robbie Ray and Marco Gonzales to season-ending injuries in the first half of the season. Luis Castillo and George Kirby were named to the All-Star Game. Those two, along with Logan Gilbert, won at least 13 games with an earned run average under 4.00 in at least 190 innings pitched. Gilbert threw a five-hit shutout against the San Francisco Giants on July 4 and was named the AL Player of the Week. Prospects Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo, and Emerson Hancock made their MLB debuts to bolster the starting rotation. Matt Brash led the majors with 78 games pitched.

Rodríguez topped the team in most offensive categories and won a Silver Slugger Award. Shortstop J. P. Crawford led the AL with 94 walks, and third baseman Eugenio Suárez led the league with 214 strikeouts, with right fielder Teoscar Hernandez finishing second with 211 and Rodríguez a distant third. Suárez was the only Mariner to play in all 162 games.

Transactions

May 4: Infielder Tommy La Stella released. July 3: Pitchers Chris Flexen and Trevor Gott traded to the New York Mets for pitcher Zach Muckenhirn. July 26: Infielder Mason McCoy traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher Trent Thornton. July 31: Closer Paul Sewald traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder Dominic Canzone and infielders Josh Rojas and Ryan Bliss. Outfielder A. J. Pollock, utility player Mark Mathias, and cash traded to the San Francisco Giants for a player to be named later. August 3: Kolten Wong released. August 8: Matt Festa released. August 22: Luke Weaver signed as a free agent. August 30: Luis Torrens signed as a free agent. August 31: Dominic Leone claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. September 2: The Oakland Athletics claimed Devin Sweet off waivers. September 12: The New York Yankees claimed Weaver off waivers.

MLB debuts

José Caballero, April 15 Bryce Miller, May 2 Juan Then, May 6 Bryan Woo, June 3 Ty Adcock, June 12 Isaiah Campbell, July 7 Devin Sweet, July 19 Cade Marlowe, July 20 Prelander Berroa, July 21 Emerson Hancock, August 9 Ryder Ryan, August 11

Game log Legend Mariners win Mariners loss Postponement Eliminated from playoff raceBoldMariners team member

|- style="background:#bfb;" | 1 || March 30 || Guardians || 3–0 || Sewald (1–0) || Karinchak (0–1) || Muñoz (1) || 45,268 || 1–0 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 2 || March 31 || Guardians || 4–9 || Sandlin (1–0) || Ray (0–1) || — || 31,516 || 1–1 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 3 || April 1 || Guardians || 0–2 || Civale (1–0) || Gilbert (0–1) || Clase (1) || 44,250 || 1–2 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 4 || April 2 || Guardians || 5–6 || De Los Santos (1–0) || Murfee (0–1) || Stephan (1) || 34,045 || 1–3 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 5 || April 3 || Angels || 3–7 || Tepera (1–0) || Kirby (0–1) || — || 18,877 || 1–4 || L4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 6 || April 4 || Angels || 11–2 || L. Castillo (1–0) || Suárez (0–1) || — || 19,255 || 2–4 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 7 || April 5 || Angels || 3–4 || Ohtani (1–0) || Flexen (0–1) || Quijada (1) || 25,648 || 2–5 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 8 || April 7 || @ Guardians || 5–3 || Murfee (1–1) || Civale (1–1) || Sewald (1) || 34,821 || 3–5 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 9 || April 8 || @ Guardians || 3–2 || Gonzales (1–0) || Quantrill (0–1) || Sewald (2) || 17,489 || 4–5 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 10 || April 9 || @ Guardians || 6–7 || Herrin (1–0) || Murfee (1–2) || — || 12,716 || 4–6 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 11 || April 10 || @ Cubs || 2–3 || Thompson (1–0) || Brash (0–1) || — || 26,766 || 4–7 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 12 || April 11 || @ Cubs || 9–14 || Rucker (1–0) || Flexen (0–2) || — || 30,081 || 4–8 || L3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 13 || April 12 || @ Cubs || 5–2 || Gilbert (1–1) || Stroman (2–1) || — || 26,944 || 5–8 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 14 || April 14 || Rockies || 5–3 || Brash (1–1) || Gomber (0–3) || Sewald (3) || 32,698 || 6–8 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 15 || April 15 || Rockies || 9–2 || Kirby (1–1) || Feltner (0–2) || — || 27,549 || 7–8 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 16 || April 16 || Rockies || 1–0 || L. Castillo (2–0) || Lamet (1–1) || Sewald (4) || 23,585 || 8–8 || W4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 17 || April 17 || Brewers || 3–7 || Burnes (2–1) || Flexen (0–3) || — || 14,276 || 8–9 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 18 || April 18 || Brewers || 5–6 || Wilson (1–0) || Topa (0–1) || — || 18,206 || 8–10 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 19 || April 19 || Brewers || 3–5 || Lauer (3–1) || Brash (1–2) || Bush (1) || 17,461 || 8–11 || L3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 20 || April 21 || Cardinals || 5–2 || Kirby (2–1) || Matz (0–3) || Sewald (5) || 29,633 || 9–11 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 21 || April 22 || Cardinals || 5–4 || Brash (2–2) || Thompson (1–1) || Sewald (6) || 38,732 || 10–11 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 22 || April 23 || Cardinals || 3–7 || Flaherty (2–2) || Flexen (0–4) || — || 36,249 || 10–12 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 23 || April 25 || @ Phillies || 5–3 || Gonzales (2–0) || Falter (0–4) || Sewald (7) || 42,323 || 11–12 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 24 || April 26 || @ Phillies || 5–6 || Kimbrel (1–0) || Topa (0–2) || Alvarado (4) || 32,641 || 11–13 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 25 || April 27 || @ Phillies || 0–1 || Strahm (2–2) || Kirby (2–2) || Kimbrel (3) || 31,543 || 11–14 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 26 || April 28 || @ Blue Jays || 2–3 || Mayza (1–0) || Gott (0–1) || Romano (9) || 41,414 || 11–15 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 27 || April 29 || @ Blue Jays || 0–1 || Swanson (1–0) || Gott (0–2) || — || 41,475 || 11–16 || L4 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 28 || April 30 || @ Blue Jays || 10–8 || Sewald (2–0) || Pop (1–1) || Brash (1) || 40,158 || 12–16 || W1

|- style="background:#bfb;" | 29 || May 2 || @ Athletics || 2–1 || Speier (1–0) || Lovelady (0–1) || Sewald (8) || 2,583 || 13–16 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 30 || May 3 || @ Athletics || 7–2 || Brash (3–2) || Oller (1–1) || — || 2,685 || 14–16 || W3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 31 || May 4 || @ Athletics || 5–3 || Kirby (3–2) || Rucinski (0–2) || Sewald (9) || 13,025 || 15–16 || W4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 32 || May 5 || Astros || 4–6 || Abreu (1–0) || Brash (3–3) || Pressly (4) || 32,944 || 15–17 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 33 || May 6 || Astros || 7–5 || Saucedo (1–0) || Montero (0–1) || — || 40,328 || 16–17 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 34 || May 7 || Astros || 3–1 || Miller (1–0) || Bielak (0–1) || Topa (1) || 42,277 || 17–17 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 35 || May 8 || Rangers || 1–2 || Gray (2–1) || Gilbert (1–2) || Smith (5) || 15,282 || 17–18 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 36 || May 9 || Rangers || 5–0 || Kirby (4–2) || Heaney (2–3) || — || 17,638 || 18–18 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 37 || May 10 || Rangers || 3–4 || Dunning (3–0) || L. Castillo (2–1) || Smith (6) || 22,480 || 18–19 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 38 || May 12 || @ Tigers || 9–2 || Gonzales (3–0) || Boyd (2–3) || — || 22,116 || 19–19 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 39 || May 13 || @ Tigers || 5–0 || Miller (2–0) || Faedo (0–1) || — || 23,511 || 20–19 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 40 || May 14 || @ Tigers || 3–5 || Foley (1–1) || Speier (1–1) || Lange (7) || 20,160 || 20–20 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 41 || May 15 || @ Red Sox || 10–1 || Kirby (5–2) || Houck (3–3) || — || 31,744 || 21–20 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 42 || May 16 || @ Red Sox || 4–9 || Pivetta (3–3) || L. Castillo (2–2) || — || 31,476 || 21–21 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 43 || May 17 || @ Red Sox || 3–12 || Bello (3–1) || Gonzales (3–1) || — || 32,209 || 21–22 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 44 || May 19 || @ Braves || 2–6 || McHugh (2–0) || Miller (2–1) || — || 40,412 || 21–23 || L3 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 45 || May 20 || @ Braves || 7–3 || Gilbert (2–2) || Tonkin (3–2) || — || 40,250 || 22–23 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 46 || May 21 || @ Braves || 2–3 || Shuster (1–2) || Kirby (5–3) || Iglesias (3) || 40,213 || 22–24 || L1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 47 || May 22 || Athletics || 11–2 || L. Castillo (3–2) || Muller (1–4) || — || 15,418 || 23–24 || W1 |- style="background:#bfb;" | 48 || May 23 || Athletics || 3–2 || Gonzales (4–1) || Medina (0–3) || Sewald (10) || 15,646 || 24–24 || W2 |- style="background:#bfb;"