Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have knocked on the postseason’s door in two of the last three seasons. In 2017, look for that door to finally get answered, thus ending MLB’s longest playoff drought.
From top to bottom, the Mariners have one of the best staring rotations in baseball. Offensively, the additions of Jean Segura and Danny Valencia should improve a group that, with Nelson Cruz, Robinson Cano, and Kyle Seager, was already potent.
The challenge with making the playoffs is that with the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros, the American League West has two other teams that should be postseason bound. But that still leaves at worst another wild card spot for the Mariners.
Expect them to take that spot.
Seattle has one of the American League’s five best rosters. In fact, aside from the Cleveland Indians, the Mariners might have the AL’s most complete roster. While the M’s don’t have the overwhelming strengths of some of the other teams, they don’t have the glaring flaws, either. Every element of Seattle’s roster is solid.
It’s a roster that will be good enough to play October baseball for the first time in 16 years.