Dan Wilson discusses the Mariners' upcoming season at Spring Training
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Dan Wilson may only be entering his second full season as the manager of the Seattle Mariners, but he's already built an impressive resume on the bench. He led the club to the American League West title and one win away from the first World Series in frnchise history. Now, he's facing a new obstacle to clear in 2026: make it to the Fall Classic and bring the City of Seattle its first Series championship.
As Spring Training began to unfold, Wilson spoke to MLB.com as he was preparing his team for the mission at hand. The Seattle skipper sounded highly optimistic as he talked with MLB.com about his team and what they're capable of accomplishing in 2026.
Wilson began by addressing the team's new addition, Brendan Donovan, formerly of the St. Louis Cardinals. The career .282 hitter is expected to be a table-setter for the team, and he has been mentioned as an X-factor in putting the team over the top.
"He brings a lot of flexibility to our lineup, not only in the field but at the plate, as well," Wilson said of the interchangeable infielder. "We are excited to have him, and he completes our lineup in a big way. As games get going here, and we figure out the lineup, he's going to plug right in. I think the type of player he is. He has such a strong desire to win; he's intense. He's a quiet guy, but he lets his bat do the talking, and we're just really happy to have him be a part of our ballclub."
When asked by longtime analyst Tom Verducci if AL MVP candidate and 25-year-old Seattle sensation Julio Rodriguez would bat at the top of the lineup, Wilson offered up this explanation.
"Those are the things spring training is great for," Wilson stated. "We get to look around and experiment with different things a little bit... we'll see what we come up with on Opening Day."
Is 2026 the Mariners' year?
It' easy to envision celebrating a second world championship in the Emerald City in 2026, following the Seattle Seahawks' victory in Super Bowl LX earlier this month. The Mariners' are riding the wave of last season's success mixed with this year's high expectations as they look to go further than any other team in the organization's history.
Seattle (90-72, AL West champions) will face stiff competition in divisional play from rivals like the Houston Astros (87-75, second in division) and Texas Rangers (81-81, third). Both franchises have won World Series in the past ten years, with the 'Stros taking the title in 2017 and 2022, while Texas captured the crown in 2023. However, the Ms believe this is their year to hoist the Commissioner's Trophy this Fall.
The Mariners will open the regular season hosting the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park on Thursday night, March 26. Opening Day festivities in and around the stadium will begin at various times that afternoon.
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Ryan K Boman is a freelance writer and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays Looking at Life with Love & Laughter. His previous work has appeared at MSN, Heavy, the Miami Herald, Screen Rant, FanSided, and Yardbarker. Follow him on X @RyanKBoman