Sep 27, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco (7) tosses his bat after hitting a 3-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

MLB Insider Says the Mariners Have a 'Roster That Can Win a World Series'

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Ryan Boman | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 10:38 AM ET

As the Seattle Mariners prepare to take on the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, many see them as heavy favorites The M's were 90-game winners and AL West Champions, while the Tigers went 87-75, making the postseason as a Wild Card team.

But one baseball expert insists that the distance between the two teams is much further than three games over a 162-game schedule. ESPN writer Jeff Passan appeared on Seattle Sports' Brock & Salk on Thursday and said the Mariners are easy favorites in not just this series, but the entire AL bracket.

“If I’m the Mariners right now, I’m feeling pretty good going into this series,” Passan said of the upcoming AL Division Series versus the Detroit Tigers. “I feel like this is a roster that can win a World Series. And I’m not sure if there’s anything that’s --- especially in the division series round --- going to dissuade me from that.”

While Seattle's main concern right now is the status of top starting pitcher Bryan Woo, it's widely believed that they can survive the series with Detroit based on their depth, power, and the loose approach the team has taken leading up to this matchup.

Mariners Match Up Well Against Potential Playoff Foes

Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images

Currently, the website FanGraphs lists the Mariners as the favorites to advance to the World Series, with their current odds set at 36.6%. Seattle is rated as the second-best chance to win it all, behind only the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Once we get to the ALCS, I think it’s going to be a little different,” Passan stated. “Toronto, New York, and Boston, whoever among those three emerges from that is going to be a much more talented team, and a much more dangerous team, and a much better lineup – at least in the case of the Yankees and Blue Jays, the Red Sox not so much. But I think I would take the Red Sox’s offense over Detroit’s or Cleveland's. And frankly, I’d take the Yankees’ pitching and Toronto’s pitching as well.”

“Boston, to me, is the third of those three teams,” Passan said. “But Toronto or New York is a real roadblock, and it’s going to be a real series if the Mariners advance to the ALCS.”