Seattle Mariners

After the Seattle PilotsMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball club in Milwaukee, playing in Major League Baseball’s National League Central.Open the full entry moved to Milwaukee, a breach-of-contract suit against the American League was settled through a new expansion franchise for Seattle.⁠[1]

Lester Smith and Danny Kaye’s group received the franchise on February 6, 1976.⁠[2]

Before 57,762 fans at the Kingdome, Seattle lost 0–7 to the California AngelsLos Angeles AngelsThe Los Angeles Angels are a professional baseball club based in Anaheim, California, competing in Major League Baseball’s American League West.Open the full entry. Its first season ended 64–98.⁠[1]

George Argyros bought the team in 1981 and sold it to Jeff Smulyan’s group in 1989.⁠[2]

The first winning season did not resolve financial difficulties.⁠[2]

The Baseball Club of Seattle, backed by Hiroshi Yamauchi, took control and kept the franchise in Seattle.⁠[2]

Edgar Martinez’s walk-off double scored Ken Griffey Jr. to beat the Yankees in the Division Series and reach the ALCS.⁠[3]

The club moved from the Kingdome to Safeco Field.⁠[2]

Construction began in March 1997 and took 27 months, costing $517 million, including $126 million from the Mariners.⁠[4]

The park combines an outdoor setting with a retractable canopy that leaves the sides open even when closed.⁠[4]

Seattle matched the major-league record of 116 wins. Ichiro Suzuki won AL MVP and Rookie of the Year, but the team did not reach the World Series.⁠[3]

Ichiro Suzuki set the major-league record with 262 hits and batted .372.⁠[5]

Félix Hernández retired all 27 Tampa Bay hitters with 12 strikeouts in a 1–0 win, the first perfect game in franchise history.⁠[5]

Nintendo sold most of its stake, retaining 10%.⁠[6]

The ballpark became T-Mobile Park. The 25-year naming agreement announced in December 2018 runs through December 2043.⁠[7]

The postseason drought dating to 2001 ended with a Wild Card sweep of Toronto, followed by a Division Series loss to Houston.⁠[3]

Julio Rodríguez won AL Rookie of the Year with 28 homers and 25 steals.⁠[5]

Former Mariners catcher Dan Wilson replaced Scott Servais as manager.⁠[8]

A 90–72 season brought the AL West title and a five-game Division Series win over Detroit. Seattle led Toronto 3–2 in the ALCS but lost the series, falling 3–4 in Game 7.⁠[9]

Cal Raleigh led the majors with 60 home runs.⁠[5]

Seattle fell to third in the AL West and missed the playoffs. On the season’s final day, the club confirmed Dan Wilson would not manage in 2027.⁠[8]

The December 2018 lease runs 25 years and includes a commitment to remain in Seattle. The Mariners pay operating and maintenance costs and capital improvements beyond fixed public contributions.⁠[10]

John Stanton is managing partner, and Jerry Dipoto heads baseball operations.⁠[8]

Seattle Mariners: Official website: https://www.mlb.com/mariners (opens in a new window).⁠[11]

Seattle Mariners: X: https://x.com/mariners (opens in a new window).⁠[12]

Seattle Mariners: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariners (opens in a new window).⁠[13]

Seattle Mariners: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariners (opens in a new window).⁠[14]

Seattle Mariners: YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWWLs-O8JGYYcNea7AgumAA (opens in a new window).⁠[15]