Are Mariners supporters still miffed at manager Dan Wilson for last year's ALCS loss?
In this story:
In many ways, the 2025 season was a storybook of success for the Seattle Mariners and manager Dan Wilson. They won 90 games and clinched their first AL West title in 24 years. However, the way things ended wasn't exactly the fairytale finish the M's or their fans were hoping for.
The team fell one game short of the franchise's first-ever World Series appearance, blowing a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays and eventually losing in Game 7.
CLICK FOR MORE: Will 2026 be The Year of J-Rod?
While it's a hard pill to swallow, it's been double the pressure for Wilson, whose decisions were questioned by Mariners supporters during and after the ALCS. Some went so far as to suggest that, even after this skipper had turned things around in 2025, he needed to be fired.
The biggest flashpoint of the series and the one most widely debated was Wilson's decision to go with lefty Gabe Speier in Game 7, instead of star pitchers Bryan Woo or Andres Munoz. And it wasn't just fans who were critical; even MLB analysts said it was the wrong decision in a 'win-or-go-home' situation. So perhaps it was justified that Seattle supporters got so surly.
The Mariners suffered an agonizing loss in the ALCS
Despite all the harshness (maybe even a few voodoo dolls), Wilson is back at the helm for 2026. The future looks bright for the team, and they seem pretty content with what moves the former player, and Mariners Hall of Famer, is making as its skipper.
But what about the fans? Their appetities have been whetted by a a terrific and historical season. They see players like Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, Woo, and Munoz and believe this team can actually be better. But if it's not... will they start calling for Wilson's head in 2026?
