Mariners Star Julio Rodriguez Driven by 2025 ALCS Loss

The 25-year-old outfielder says the heartbreaking defeat only fueled his team's hunger for a World Series title.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Seattle Mariners star outfielder Julio Rodriguez, who had a breakout 2025 season, says the team's loss in the American League Championship Series that year has only made them hungrier to win it all. Rodriguez, an MVP candidate entering 2026, is focused on bringing the first World Series championship to Seattle after coming so close last year.

Why it matters

Rodriguez is one of the brightest young stars in baseball, and the Mariners' success is crucial for the sport's growth in the Pacific Northwest. The team's ability to build on their 2025 playoff run and finally win a World Series would be a major milestone for the franchise and the city of Seattle.

The details

In 2025, the 25-year-old Rodriguez hit .267 with 32 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases, often batting behind 60-home run hitter Cal Raleigh. However, the Mariners were eliminated by the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, a loss that still stings Rodriguez. He says the defeat led to "a lot of rage and frustration" at first, but has since fueled the team's hunger to finally win a World Series title.

  • In 2025, the Mariners reached the ALCS before being eliminated by the Blue Jays.
  • Rodriguez is entering the 2026 season as a top MVP candidate.

The players

Julio Rodriguez

A 25-year-old outfielder for the Seattle Mariners and one of the brightest young stars in Major League Baseball.

Cal Raleigh

The Mariners' slugging first baseman who hit 60 home runs in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“We all wanted to win. We all felt like we had enough to win. There was a lot of rage and frustration. But after that, there was a lot of release, and then I started thinking about the positive things that happened in the year, and a lot of things that we can build on as a really young and good group of baseball players that we have here on the team.”

— Julio Rodriguez (Seattle Sports)

“Once you get a taste of that – what an actual playoff is – and you experience it as a team, I feel like you just get addicted to it. Like, that's the best baseball that you can play.”

— Julio Rodriguez (Seattle Sports)

What’s next

Rodriguez and the Mariners will look to build on their 2025 success and finally capture the franchise's first World Series title in 2026.

The takeaway

Julio Rodriguez's hunger to win a championship after the Mariners' heartbreaking 2025 ALCS loss exemplifies the team's determination to bring Seattle its first World Series trophy. The young superstar's drive to succeed could propel the Mariners to new heights in the coming season.