Inside The Mariners

ESPN MLB Insider Makes Bold Assertion About Seattle Mariners as Playoff Push Mounts

Buster Olney of ESPN joined the latest edition of the 'Refuse to Lose' podcast.
American League outfielder Randy Arozarena (56) of the Seattle Mariners before the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park on July 15.
American League outfielder Randy Arozarena (56) of the Seattle Mariners before the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park on July 15. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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The Seattle Mariners defeated the Texas Rangers 6-0 on Thursday night, taking over sole possession in the battle for the third and final wild card spot in the American League.

The M's showed off their newest additions in front of the home crowd for the first time, as Josh Naylor went 1-for-4 with a single and Eugenio Suarez went 1-for-4 with a double. Furthermore, Caleb Ferguson threw a scoreless inning in relief.

Given what the M's accomplished at the trade deadline, ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney is feeling very confident in Seattle's ability to make the playoffs - and make a run - in 2025.

He spoke with the Refuse to Lose podcast on Friday morning:

Excellent. ​I ​think ​that ​right ​now, ​I ​mean, ​if ​we ​were ​to ​just ​imagine ​that ​the ​baseball ​season ​starts ​today, ​and ​for ​the ​rest ​of ​the ​year, ​I ​think ​the ​Mariners ​are ​the ​best ​team ​in ​the ​American ​League. ​And that ​doesn't ​reflect ​the ​reality ​that ​they're ​behind ​the ​Astros, ​and they're ​in ​this ​mix ​of ​teams ​with ​the ​wild ​card. ​But ​when ​you ​look ​at ​what ​they're ​going ​to ​have ​in ​their ​rotation, ​and ​you ​look ​at ​that ​lineup, ​it's ​staggering ​compared ​to ​some ​of ​these ​other ​teams.

The Mariners debuted that new lineup on Thursday with Randy Arozarena hitting leadoff and Jorge Polanco bumped all the way down to sixth. Naylor hit fourth and Suarez hit fifth.

The M's got solo home runs from both Cole Young and Cal Raleigh in the victory and they'll play the Rangers again on Friday night at 6:40 p.m. PT.

You can listen to the full interview with Olney in podcast player below:

Related Stories on Seattle Mariners

NEW PODCAST IS HERE: Brady is back on a Friday, recapping the trade deadline, giving credit to Jerry Dipoto for his work at the deadline and he discusses which Mariners are now under pressure over the last two months. CLICK HERE:

MAKING ROOM: The Mariners acquired Caleb Ferguson from the Pirates and moved on from a previously valuable reliever to get the deal done. CLICK HERE:

EPIC HISTORY: Randy Arozarena is doing things at the plate rarely seen by an M's player, and he's also doing things hardly ever seen by a Cuban-born player. CLICK HERE:

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