Seattle Mariners: 5 lessons learned from an unexpectedly good 2020 season
Seattle Mariners, Evan White.
The Seattle Mariners surprised all of MLB with their third-place finish this year. They were supposed to be in a rebuild but showed that they have the beginnings of a good team. These are five lessons learned from the M’s 27–33 season.
After struggling to an 8–19 start, it looked like the Seattle Mariners 60-game mini-season would turn into a repeating loop of despair. However, this team didn’t let their poor beginnings hold them back. They went on an 11–3 run in mid-August to put themselves back in contention for a postseason berth.
Unfortunately, that roll was short-lived. Seattle dropped seven of their next 10, primarily to San Francisco and San Diego, eliminating them from contention. As they did before, the Mariners rallied.
They went 4–3 against the top two teams in their division, Houston and Oakland, to finish the season. The M’s finished third in the AL West, just a pair of games behind H-Town for a spot in the expanded playoffs. A break here or there, a little more experienced, and some good health, or any combination of the three and the Mariners might still be playing now. Not bad for a team predicted by many to finish dead last.
It was a learning experience for this young team in 2020. Along the way, there were injuries, trades, in addition to plenty of feel-good moments to give fans hope. Not only the fans think good times are close at hand. Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto said this week that he expects the M’s to compete for a playoff spot next season.
That isn’t just blowing smoke. Top prospect Jarred Kelenic will be up next year, and all indications are that Mitch Haniger will return after sitting out this season due to injury.
Here are five lessons from the recent upstart season to make the Seattle Mariners faithful look forward to 2021.