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How Big an Impact Has World Baseball Classic Had on Seattle Mariners?
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- How Big an Impact Has World Baseball Classic Had on Seattle Mariners?
Buster Olney speaks on a recent 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast. Subscribe on YouTube.
Last week, we spoke with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on the most recent ' Refuse to Lose Territory ' podcast, and he made a familiar claim about the baseball season as a whole, pinning struggles of certain players and certain teams on the World Baseball Classic.
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Here's what he said:
"The more people I talk to, the more that I believe that (the WBC) was a huge factor for the Mariners, for the Kansas City Royals, for the Boston Red Sox, for the Toronto Blue Jays... Hitters are creatures of habit. They got into spring training and they're used to having — you show up at (7 a.m.), you have your breakfast, you go out, you take some rounds of hitting, maybe do some defense, and then you take some more swings and more swings and you gradually work your way in. What changed this spring in the WBC is the hours available to players to prepare. Cal (Raleigh) was affected by that. I'm absolutely convinced of that. I think (Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) was affected by that."
After the interview published, some fans didn't agree with Olney's assessment with regards to the Mariners, so let's take a deeper dive at how the M's who participated in the event have done.
Quick fact
Regardless of how you feel, it's fair to note that the Mariners played until late October of last season. All players who played in the WBC did not get a full offseason of rest and recouperation.
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Whether you think that's a big deal or not is up to you, but it is certainly a true statement. These players played later - and started earlier - than usual.
Cal Raleigh
If you are against players from your favorite team participating in the exhibition tournament, this is the most clear representation as to why.
Raleigh played sporadically in the WBC, appearing in only half the games for Team USA. Then, he got hurt while trying to ramp back up with the Mariners. He played through the injury before eventually landing on the IL, and he still hasn't found his footing.
He's hitting just .169 with nine home runs and a .271 on-base percentage. He has an OPS+ of 67.
It's a drastic change from last season's historic 60-homer campaign.
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Randy Arozarena
On the other end of the spectrum is Arozarena, who is the lone representative for the Mariners on the All-Star team. He's hitting .286 with 11 homers, 45 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. He has an OPS+ of 140.
Josh Naylor
Naylor suited up for Team Canada after signing a five-year deal with the Mariners, and his numbers are down almost across the board.
A career .269 hitter before this season, he's hitting .252. A career on-base percentage of .329 before this season, he's got a .317.
A career OPS+ of 116 before this season, his is at 93. He also only has eight home runs, when his career 162-game average is 22.
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Julio Rodriguez
Rodriguez is hitting .259 with 14 home runs and an OPS+ of 113. His overall numbers are OK, but they are buoyed by an excellent May. He really struggled in the month of June and has missed the last eight games because of a trip to the concussion injured list.
Because Rodriguez was so hot in May, it's probably not fair to blame the WBC for any struggles. He's a streaky player who has had multiple streaks. It's what he does.
Dominic Canzone
Canzone suited up for Team Italy and has been one of the M's best offensive players this season, hitting .264 with 15 homers, 40 RBIs and an OPS+ of 144.
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He's been so good that the M's are now starting to play him regularly against left-handed pitching.
Seattle Mariners designated hitter Dominic Canzone (8) celebrates at first base after hitting a RBI-single during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Miles Mastrobuoni
He also played for Team Italy, getting hurt in the event. He missed multiple months with the calf issue.
Michael Arroyo
At 21 years old, one of the M's top prospects played for Team Colombia in the event. The best offensive player on that team, he's continued to hit in the minors. He's hitting .293 with 12 homers and 50 RBIs, and was just promoted to Triple-A Tacoma.
Andres Munoz
Munoz pitched for Team Mexico and has had a very uneven first half. After consecutive All-Star appearances, he's gone 3-4 with a 4.19 ERA. He's got 16 saves and 51 strikeouts in 34.1 innings, but he's given up more home runs (4) than he did all of last season (2).
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Some of the worst losses of the season for Seattle are related to his struggles.
Gabe Speier
Speier pitched for Team USA and struggled in the event, and he ended up on the injured list for the Mariners in May. In total, he's had a very good season, but the injury certainly raises questions about if the WBC affected him.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Gabe Speier (55) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning at Tropicana Field. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Eduard Bazardo
Bazardo played for Team Venezuela and has still turned in a solid season for Seattle, going 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA. He's appeared in 44 games.
Final verdict?
It's fair to say that the tournament has likely affected each individual in a different way. Some players have performed just fine, while some of the M's regulars have really struggled to live up to what they did in 2025.
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However, the WBC directly led to Raleigh's injury, which is a huge part of his poor performance, which is a huge part of the season's frustrations as the Mariners are just 48-49.
So, yes, it's fair to say that the WBC has had a huge affect on the M's season, and that's before you wonder about any residual resentment from the Arozarena-Raleigh handshake controversy .
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