PEORIA, AZ (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Mariners are once again living up to ‘good vibes only’ at Spring Training 2024 in Peoria, Arizona.

With a rock-solid pitching staff and a revamped batting order, the team looks poised for a strong run at the American League (AL) West title and a possible first-ever appearance in the World Series.
After overcoming an onslaught of criticism by local & national media and a hungry fan base, the team has economically put together a ballclub that looks better than two previous seasons. (Well, at least on paper.)

The mission coming into this off-season was to cut down on strikeouts. The M’s had the top three strikeout leaders in the AL last season. They often found themselves pressing and trying to win the game with one swing of the bat. This year, it’s more about small-ball vs the long-ball. The Mariners have added contact hitters including Mitch Haniger, who returns to the team after being traded to the San Francisco Giants. If he can remain healthy, Haniger is expected to be key to moving his teammates around the bases. The M’s also added Mitch Garver from the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers. Garver is expected to legitimize the designated hitter (DH) role for the team for the first time in years.

One of the keys to the Mariners success will be Ty France, who showed up to camp leaner and with a new outlook on his hitting approach. He spent time during the off season at Driveline, the same place where J.P. Crawford turned his career around.

The overall feeling is that the Mariners have a strong order top to bottom. They won’t have to rely on their superstars to get the job done night after night. Superstars like Julio Rodriguez will be protected in the order and won’t have to press. Dominic Canzone and Luis Urias are also strong additions to the lineup and are showing great promise at spring training.

The strength of this team is, without question, the starting pitching. The M’s retained all five of their key starters, including Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo. There was deep concern those two would be on the trading block in an effort to add a bat or two to the order. The Mariners found a way to creatively improve their lineup, not at the expense of one of the best rotations in all of major league baseball.

Traditionally, the Mariners have gotten off to a slow start. Usually because they are still trying to piece together what they think they might have. This season, they know what they have, they just need to stay healthy and not force things the way they did last year.

There is definitely a good vibe around this team by the media and fans alike. With an elite pitching staff and a solid 1-9 batting lineup, the team is set for the season this fanbase has been wanting for over three decades.