Sep 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) celebrates his grand slam with teammates against the Houston Astros in the second inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

MLB Insider Discusses Why the Mariners are Top World Series Contenders

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Ryan Boman | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 5:38 PM ET

As the Seattle Mariners close in on the American League West Division championship, they are finishing out the regular season in grand fashion. The team has won 14 of its last 15 games, and they jettisoned their division rivals, the Houston Astros, out of playoff contention, at least for now.

The M's have been far and away Major League Baseball's best team in September, with clutch performances and solid pitching all clicking at the same time. And while much of the nation has spent weeks watching MVP candidate Cal Raleigh break record after record, it's his team's efforts that have caught the eye of the press and prognosticators.

ESPN writer Jeff Passan appeared on Seattle Sports' Brock and Salk Show, where he gave a sneak peek into what he's been discussing with some of his peers, regarding the Mariners. He shared his insight as to why many believe this year's club could capture the first World Series title in franchise history.

“The whole baseball writing staff has been asked to just go around and chat with sources and pick their brains about the playoffs,” Passan shared, “and first question: What’s the boldest prediction you’ve heard from an MLB executive or scout?”

According to Passan, the answer was: “The Seattle Mariners are going to win the World Series.”

“This is an evaluator who has been around for a very long time, has seen a lot of things, and whose opinion I trust,” Passan clarified. “But the other part is... he’s not the only one who thinks that.”

The Mariners are the 'Most Complete Team'

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“I think it’s a function certainly of the American League being a festival of mediocrity,” Passan concluded, “but it’s also if you just objectively look at what the Mariners are doing right now and the talent that they have, they have had the best offense in Major League Baseball in terms of runs scored as well as peripherals in the month of September."

"They have a rotation where, as long as Bryan Woo is healthy, [you have] Bryan Woo, followed by Logan Gilbert, followed by whether it’s George Kirby or Luis Castillo. That’s a lot of good starting pitching. And then you kick Bryce Miller over to the bullpen in the playoffs and add him to Caleb Ferguson and Gabe Speier and Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo, and Andrés Muñoz.

“All of a sudden, it’s like you add that together with the quality defense that they play, and you can make an argument that they are actually the most complete team left right now.”

The Mariners (87-69) lead the Astros by three games in the standings, and they hold the tiebreaker over Houston. They will end their season at home, with a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies, followed by the Dodgers visiting T-Mobile for the final three games.