If you watched the 2025 Mariners closely, you know the “problem” wasn’t always the lineup’s top-end talent. It was everything that happened after the first punch.
Seattle spent a ton of last season living in the late-inning margins — platoon moves, pinch-hit spots, matchup games that Dan Wilson had to play because the roster construction basically demanded it. And the more you live in that world, the more you find out whether your bench is a weapon or just a prayer.
In 2025, it was way too often the second one. The Mariners pinch-hit more than anyone (118 times) and got a 62 wRC+ out of those plate appearances.