SEATTLE -- The Mariners absorbed much of the Major League spotlight during the Ken Griffey Jr. era in the late 1990s and into the turn of the millennium with the rest of an All-Star cast, many of whom are in or could be on their way to the Hall of Fame.
Seattle’s record of 116 wins in a season in 2001 has been touted by many to be among the most monumental in Major League history -- only the 1906 Cubs have matched that feat -- so of course, that campaign stands out above all when assessing each of the Mariners’ all-time best seasons.
Below are the Top 5 best seasons in Mariners history:
1) 2001: 116-46
The number “116” still remains synonymous with Seattle baseball, the year that the Mariners rode the wave of new faces Ichiro Suzuki and Mike Cameron, and a familiar one in Bret Boone, to the most wins in a single season in almost a century. In an era before viral became viral, Suzuki was a sensation, winning the American League batting title with a .350 average, tallying an unprecedented 242 hits and becoming just the second player in MLB history to win the Rookie of the Year and MVP Awards in the same season. He was one of a whopping eight Mariners to be selected to that year’s All-Star Game -- which was held in Seattle.
Seattle’s magic didn’t quite continue in the postseason, with a five-game defeat in the AL Championship Series to the Yankees, who were playing with extra motivation in the wake of 9/11. But despite their October shortcomings, the 2001 Mariners remain one of the greatest teams of their era, if not all time.
2-T) 2002: 93-69
Seattle didn’t let its 2001 postseason disappointment carry over the following year, riding the same core that set records to another impressive season, while drawing a franchise-record 3,542,938 fans to Safeco Field -- an average of 43,740 per game, which falls just shy of the venue’s capacity. That year also saw one of the best days at the dish for any Mariner all-time, with Cameron becoming the first player in team history and one of just 18 players in MLB history to homer four times in a single game.
The Mariners held first place in the AL West from the ninth game of the season until Aug. 23, when their tumble to a 16-18 record over the final month-plus began. Though Seattle finished with 93 wins, normally enough to reach the postseason, the club fell two games shy of the AL Wild Card and thus began its lengthy October drought.
2-T) 2003: 93-69
The ’03 club was best known for its wire-to-wire starting pitching staff, as the Mariners used just five over the entire 162-game season -- a feat no MLB club had accomplished before or has since, dating back to the Mariners’ inception in 1977. The Iron Men were Ryan Franklin, Freddy Garcia, Gil Meche, Joel Pineiro and ace Jamie Moyer, who led the staff with a 21-7 record and 3.27 ERA. The lanky lefty earned his first All-Star bid in his age-40 season. He was one of five selected to the Midsummer Classic, with Ichiro, Edgar Martinez, Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Washington-state native Willie Bloomquist.
Despite another 93-win season, the Mariners once again fell victim to playing in a loaded AL West, finishing in second place behind the A’s (96 wins) to fall short of the postseason.
4) 2000: 91-71
The Mariners entered 2000 reeling from the offseason trade of Griffey to the Reds, which sent shockwaves throughout the organization and drew apprehension from the media and concern from the fans. But with Alex Rodriguez entering his prime, Martinez still as consistent as ever, the free-agent acquisition of John Olerud and Cameron blossoming into a surprisingly more-than-worthy replacement in center field, the Mariners marched their way to the postseason for just the third time in history as the AL Wild Card.
Despite losing their grasp of first place in the division during the final days of the regular season, the Mariners got on a tear in the AL Division Series and swept the 95-win White Sox handily, with the Game 3 clincher being the first playoff game held at Safeco Field. The Mariners even took the eventual World Series champion Yankees to six games in the ALCS.
5-T) 1997: 90-72
Led by Griffey’s AL MVP Award-winning season, Seattle surged through ’97 with an all-time power-hitting lineup. Griffey’s franchise-record 56 home runs were part of a then-MLB-record 264 that the Mariners hit -- a high mark that stood until 2018 -- and he was one of six players to hit at least 20. Only one other team in MLB history had more players to hit that many in a single season at the time. The Mariners also drew more than three million fans for the first time in franchise history in 1997, but their bats went cold during the ALDS against the Orioles, as Seattle collectively slashed .218/.257/.391 in the four-game defeat.
**5-T) 2021: 90-72
**This season began with limited stadium capacity as the world reopened from the pandemic -- and ended with T-Mobile Park drawing some of its largest crowds in over 20 years at the very end. That’s because the Mariners reinvigorated the region towards baseball again, emerging from their multiyear rebuild at least one year earlier than anticipated. This team was expected to be competitive, but not at the echelon of 90 wins. They amassed that many by playing fundamentally sound ball all year long, with good defense, stout pitching and just enough offense. For all these reasons, they were the darlings of the entire sport and the team that casual fans could latch onto. Team leaders included Kyle Seager, who surprised many by retiring later that winter, and Mitch Haniger, who emphatically returned after missing more than one full year due to injuries. They each clubbed at least 35 homers and 100 RBIs. Alas, the ‘21 Mariners ran out of magic on the final day of the regular season.
**5-T) 2022: 90-72
**Fresh off a near playoff appearance, the ‘22 team entered the regular season with higher expectations than maybe any over the past decade-plus. Seattle signed reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray to a $115 million contract in the offseason and debuted face-of-the-future mega prospect Julio Rodríguez, who played his way onto the Opening Day roster. There were many key pieces to this team, but J-Rod was easily the star -- capturing national attention with a show for the ages in that year’s Home Run Derby while endearing himself across the industry with his charisma and confidence. Seattle finally broke through and ended what was the longest active playoff drought in North American professional sports when Cal Raleigh crushed a walk-off solo homer Sept. 30. The Mariners then showed that they belonged in October by going into Toronto and defeating a heavily favored Blue Jays team in the AL Wild Card Series. They also went toe-to-toe with the eventual World Series champion Astros in the ALDS, with their season ending in an 18-inning marathon at T-Mobile Park. This was, in the club’s minds, the start of something special.
**5-T) 2025: 90-72
**After consecutive seasons of falling short of the postseason, each as the first team on the outside looking in, the ‘25 team finally captured the coveted AL West title, dethroning the rival Astros by going into Houston and sweeping during their final road trip. Seattle then went through a thrilling ALDS against Detroit, capped by a 15-inning marathon in Game 5 at T-Mobile Park, then went all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS before a heartbreak in the late innings. It was the closest that the club had ever been to the World Series. But the totality of ‘25 really comes down to the “Big Dumper” -- who was arguably the sport’s biggest storyline. Raleigh crushed 60 homers that set records for a switch-hitter, catcher and the most in franchise history. Along the way, he also won the Home Run Derby, with his dad throwing to him and his brother catching. This team also featured an emotional return of Eugenio Suárez, who the club reacquired in a blockbuster at the Trade Deadline. It was a really fun season with a really fun cast of characters.