Brady's Spin: The First 30 Games Are Critical to Seattle Mariners Success This Season
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The Seattle Mariners open up the season with 18 of their first 30 games at T-Mobile Park and they need to capitalize on that stretch if they want to get back to the playoffs in 2025.
Now, look, as we saw in 2024, a great start to the season doesn't guarantee you success, but if you blow a front-loaded home schedule and are forced to try to play catch up in a road-dominated back-end schedule, you are just asking for trouble.
The M's start the season with seven consecutive home games against the A's and Tigers before going on the road for three against the San Francisco Giants. They are then home for six more against the Astros and Rangers, marking their first battles against the American League West foes. That's 13 of the first 16 games at home and you simply can't afford to start poorly.
The M's then go on the road for a lengthy road trip against Cincinnati, Toronto and Boston before coming home to end the month with the Marlins and Angels, two teams that finished last in their divisions a season ago.
The road trip will obviously be tough, but if you can play well at home around it, you can give yourself a little breathing room on that trip. Going 4-5 through those nine games is OK if you capitalize on the opportunities at home.
Too often over the last several years, the M's have started slow and finished fast. This year, given the nature of the schedule, they have to start fast to avoid needing to play frantic catch up in August and September.
The M's have 12 road games in September, all against playoff teams from a year ago, so frantic catch up may not be possible. They also end the season with the World Champion Dodgers, and though it's at home, it certainly won't be easy.
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