2018 Seattle Mariners season

The 2018 Seattle Mariners season was the 42nd season in franchise history. The Mariners played their 19th full season (20th overall) at Safeco Field, their home ballpark. After the Buffalo Bills of the NFL clinched a playoffs spot for the first time since 1999, The Mariners entered this season with the longest active playoff drought in the four major North American professional sports, failing to make their first postseason appearance since 2001. At several points in the season, the Mariners were 10 games ahead of the Oakland Athletics in the American League (AL) Wild Card race, but ended up finishing eight games behind them. The Mariners were eliminated from playoff contention on September 22 with the Athletics win against the Minnesota Twins. The Mariners began the season on March 29 against the Cleveland Indians and finished the season on September 30 against the Texas Rangers.

Offseason and spring training On December 7, 2017, the Mariners traded three minor leaguers to the Miami Marlins for Dee Gordon and $1 million in international slot money. General manager Jerry Dipoto stated he planned to use Gordon in center field instead of his usual second base.

On March 6, 2018, the Mariners signed free agent Ichiro Suzuki to a $750,000 contract salary with incentives up to $2 million. He returned to Seattle after five years with the New York Yankees and the Miami Marlins.

Other notable transactions

November 15: Received Ryon Healy in a trade with the Oakland Athletics for Emilio Pagán and Alexander Campos. November 17: Hisashi Iwakuma re-signed on a minor league contract. December 17: Juan Nicasio signed a two-year, $17 million contract.

Regular season Standings American League West

American League Wild Card

Record against opponents

Season summary Starter James Paxton threw a no-hitter on May 8 against the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the first Canadian pitcher to throw an MLB no-hitter in Canada. Paxton shared the AL Player of the Week Award following his no-hitter and later won the Tip O'Neill Award, given to the best Canadian baseball player.

Closer Edwin Díaz set a franchise record with 57 saves, tied for second-most in an MLB season. He won the AL Reliever of the Year Award.

Catcher Mike Zunino was named to the Wilson All-Defensive Team.

Díaz, Nelson Cruz, Mitch Haniger, and Jean Segura were named to the All-Star Game, with Segura selected via the Final Vote.

The Mariners' payroll of $162.5 million ranked 9th in MLB. Notable transactions April 23, 2018: Received Roenis Elías in a trade with the Boston Red Sox. The Mariners sent Eric Filia to Boston on June 12 to complete the trade. However, Filia failed a physical exam, and Seattle sent cash instead. May 3: Ichiro Suzuki released. He became the special assistant to the chairman. May 25: Traded Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero to the Tampa Bay Rays for Alex Colomé, Denard Span, and cash. June 4: Start of 2018 MLB draft. Notable signings include: Logan Gilbert selected in the first round with the 14th overall selection. He signed for $3.883 million Josh Stowers selected in the second round. Cal Raleigh selected in the third round. June 6: Marc Rzepczynski released. July 2: Noelvi Marte and Jonatan Clase signed as international free agents. July 30: Received Adam Warren in a trade with the New York Yankees for international bonus slot money. The Mariners also traded Chase De Jong and Ryan Costello to the Minnesota Twins for Zach Duke and cash.

Game log

|-style=background:#bfb |1||March 29|| Indians || 2–1 || Hernández (1–0) || Kluber (0–1) || Díaz (1) || 47,149 || 1–0 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |2||March 31|| Indians || 5–6 || Carrasco (1–0) || Paxton (0–1) || Allen (1) || 35,881 || 1–1 || L1

|-style=background:#bfb |3||April 1|| Indians || 5–4 || Leake (1–0) || Otero (0–1) || Díaz (2) || 24,506 || 2–1 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |4||April 3||@ Giants || 6–4 || Gonzales (1–0) || Blach (1–1) || Díaz (3) || 40,901 || 3–1 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |5||April 4||@ Giants || 1–10 || Cueto (1–0) || Hernández (1–1) || — || 42,582 || 3–2 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |6||April 5||@ Twins || 2–4 || Duke (1–0) || Altavilla (0–1) || Rodney (1) || 39,214 || 3–3 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |7||April 7||@ Twins || 11–4 || Leake (2–0) || Berríos (1–1) || — || 18,416 || 4–3 || W1 |-style=background:#bbb | – ||April 8||@ Twins || Colspan=7| Postponed (inclement weather); Rescheduled for May 14th. |-style=background:#fbb |8||April 9||@ Royals || 0–10 || Junis (2–0) || Gonzales (1–1) ||—|| 12,324 || 4–4 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |9||April 10||@ Royals || 8–3 || Hernández (2–1) || Skoglund (0–1) ||—|| 14,850 || 5–4 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |10||April 11||@ Royals || 4–2 || Vincent (1–0) || Grimm (0–1) || Díaz (4) || 14,314 || 6–4 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |11||April 13|| A's || 7–4 || Altavilla (1–1) || Coulombe (0–1) || Díaz (5) || 25,532 || 7–4 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb |12||April 14|| A's || 10–8 || Bradford (1–0)|| Graveman (0–3) || Díaz (6) || 29,013 || 8–4 || W4 |-style=background:#fbb |13||April 15|| A's || 1–2 || Manaea (2–2) ||Hernández (2–2)|| Treinen (3) || 25,882 || 8–5 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |14||April 16|| Astros || 2–1 || Paxton (1–1) || Keuchel (0–3) ||Díaz (7) || 12,923 || 9–5 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |15||April 17|| Astros || 1–4 || McCullers Jr. (2–1) || Altavilla (1–2) || Devenski (2) || 15,382 || 9–6 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |16||April 18|| Astros || 1–7 || Cole (2–0) || Leake (2–1) || — || 14,643 || 9–7 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb |17||April 19|| Astros || 2–9 || Morton (3–0) || Gonzales (1–2) || — || 16,927 || 9–8 || L3 |-style=background:#bfb |18||April 20||@ Rangers || 6–2 || Nicasio (1–0) || Kela (2–1) ||—|| 27,811 || 10–8 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |19||April 21||@ Rangers || 9–7 || Bradford (2–0) || Claudio (0–1) ||Díaz (8) || 39,016 || 11–8 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |20||April 22||@ Rangers || 4–7 || Pérez (2–2) || Ramírez (0–1) || Kela (3) || 33,661 || 11–9 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |21||April 23||@ White Sox || 4–10 || Fulmer (1–1) || Leake (2–2) ||—|| 13,614 || 11–10 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |22||April 24||@ White Sox || 1–0 || Gonzales (2–2) || Volstad (0–1) ||Díaz (9) || 10,761 || 12–10 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |23||April 25||@ White Sox || 4–3 || Hernández (3–2) || Shields (1–3) ||Díaz (10) || 11,417 || 13–10 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |24||April 26||@ Indians || 5–4 || Altavilla (2–2) || Goody (0–1) || Díaz (11) || 12,133 || 14–10 || W3 |-style=background:#fbb |25||April 27||@ Indians || 5–6 || Kluber (4–1) || Ramírez (0–2) ||—|| 16,355 || 14–11 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |26||April 28||@ Indians || 12–4 || Leake (3–2) || Carrasco (4–1) || — || 19,172 || 15–11 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |27||April 29||@ Indians || 10–4 || Gonzales (3–2) || Tomlin (0–4) || — || 17,878 || 16–11 || W2

|-style=background:#bfb |28||May 1|| A's || 6–3 || Hernández (4–2) || Triggs (2–1) || Díaz (12) || 12,468 || 17–11 || W3 |-style=background:#fbb |29||May 2|| A's || 2–3 || Treinen (2–1) || Díaz (0–1) || – || 11,603 || 17–12 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |30||May 3|| A's || 4–1 || Bradford (3–0) || Manaea (4–3) || Díaz (13) || 12,888 || 18–12 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |31||May 4|| Angels || 0–5 || Richards (4–1) || Leake (3–3) || — || 41,705 || 18–13 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |32||May 5|| Angels || 9–8 (11) || Goeddel (1–0) || Johnson (2–1) || — || 36,977 || 19–13 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |33||May 6|| Angels || 2–8 || Ohtani (3–1) || Hernández (4–3) || — || 40,142 || 19–14 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |34||May 8||@ Blue Jays || 5–0 || Paxton (2–1) || Stroman (0–5) ||—|| 20,513 || 20–14 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |35||May 9||@ Blue Jays || 2–5 || Tepera (3–1) || Nicasio (1–1) || Clippard (1) || 20,290 || 20–15 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |36||May 10||@ Blue Jays || 9–3 || Leake (4–3) || Happ (4–3) || — || 22,315 || 21–15 || W1 |-style=background:#bbb | – ||May 11||@ Tigers || Colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Rescheduled for May 12th. |-style=background:#fbb |37||May 12||@ Tigers || 3–4 || Boyd (2–3) || Gonzales (3–3) || Greene (8) || 25,506 || 21–16 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |38||May 12||@ Tigers || 9–5 || Hernández (5–3) || Fulmer (1–3) || — || 25,506 || 22–16 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |39||May 13||@ Tigers || 4–5 || Greene (2–2) || Nicasio (1–2) || — || 24,718 || 22–17 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |40||May 14||@ Twins || 1–0 || Pazos (1–0) || Hildenberger (1–1) || Díaz (14) || 16,581 || 23–17 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |41||May 15|| Rangers || 9–8 (11) || Goeddel (2–0) || Claudio (1–2) ||—|| 14,670 || 24–17 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |42||May 16|| Rangers || 1–5 || Colón (2–1)|| Pazos (1–1) ||—|| 20,629 || 24–18 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |43||May 17|| Tigers || 2–3 || Saupold (2–1) || Vincent (1–1) || Greene (10) || 15,169 || 24–19 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |44||May 18|| Tigers || 5–4 || Altavilla (3–2) || Farmer (0–2) ||Díaz (15) || 34,932 || 25–19 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |45||May 19|| Tigers || 7–2 || Paxton (3–1) || Fiers (4–3) ||—|| 35,759 || 26–19 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |46||May 20|| Tigers || 3–2 (11) || Vincent (2–1) || Farmer (0–3) ||—|| 34,252 || 27–19 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb |47||May 22||@ A's || 3–2 (10) || Vincent (3–1) || Petit (1–1) ||Díaz (16) || 9,408 || 28–19 || W4 |-style=background:#bfb |48||May 23||@ A's || 1–0 || Gonzales (4–3) || Gossett (0–2) ||Díaz (17)|| 6,991 || 29–19 || W5 |-style=background:#fbb |49||May 24||@ A's || 3–4 || Petit (2–1) || Hernández (5–4) || Treinen (11)|| 12,633 || 29–20 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |50||May 25|| Twins || 2–1 || Paxton (4–1) || Romero (2–1) ||Díaz (18) || 19,924 || 30–20 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |51||May 26|| Twins || 4–3 (12) || Bradford (4–0) || Magill (1–1) ||—|| 23,986 || 31–20 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |52||May 27|| Twins || 3–1 || Leake (5–3) || Berríos (5–5) ||Colomé (12) || 31,340 || 32–20 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb |53||May 28|| Rangers || 2–1 || Gonzales (5–3) || Fister (1–5) ||Díaz (19) || 26,236 || 33–20 || W4 |-style=background:#fbb |54||May 29|| Rangers || 5–9 || Claudio (4–2) || Díaz (0–2) ||—|| 13,259 || 33–21 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |55||May 30|| Rangers || 6–7 || Barnette (1–0) || Rzepczynski (0–1) || Kela (12) || 13,070 || 33–22 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |56||May 31|| Rangers || 6–1 || LeBlanc (1–0) || Minor (4–4) ||—|| 15,630 || 34–22 || W1

|-style=background:#bfb |57||June 1|| Rays || 4–3 (13)|| Elías (1–0) || Andriese (1–3) ||–|| 22,636 || 35–22 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |58||June 2|| Rays || 3–1 || Gonzales (6–3) || Archer (3–4) || Díaz (20) || 28,599 || 36–22 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb |59||June 3|| Rays || 2–1 || Hernández (6–4) || Alvarado (0–2) ||Díaz (21) || 26,567 || 37–22 || W4 |-style=background:#bfb |60||June 5||@ Astros || 7–1 || Paxton (5–1) || Keuchel (3–8) ||—|| 35,646 || 38–22 || W5 |-style=background:#fbb |61||June 6||@ Astros || 5–7 || Devenski (2–1) || Nicasio (1–3) || Rondón (1) || 30,361 || 38–23 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |62||June 7||@ Rays || 5–4 || Leake (6–3) || Pruitt (1–3) ||—|| 10,342 || 39–23 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |63||June 8||@ Rays || 4–3 || Gonzales (7–3) || Font (0–3) || Díaz (22) || 12,435 || 40–23 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |64||June 9||@ Rays || 3–7 || Snell (8–3) || Hernández (6–5) || Roe (1) || 12,528 || 40–24 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |65||June 10||@ Rays || 5–4 || Paxton (6–1) || Alvarado (0–3) || Díaz (23) || 10,512 || 41–24 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |66||June 11|| Angels || 5–3 || LeBlanc (2–0) || Heaney (3–5) ||Díaz (24) || 20,116 || 42–24 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |67||June 12|| Angels || 6–3 || Leake (7–3) || Barría (5–2) ||Díaz (25) || 20,402 || 43–24 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb |68||June 13|| Angels || 8–6 || Elías (2–0)|| Drake (1–1) ||—|| 28,236 || 44–24 ||W4 |-style=background:#fbb