Editing Seattle Mariners (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of the Seattle Mariners}}
The Mariners were created as a result of a lawsuit. In {{mlby|1970}}, after [[Bud Selig]] bought the [[Seattle Pilots]] and moved them to Milwaukee to become the [[Milwaukee Brewers]], the city of [[Seattle]], [[King County, Washington|King County]], and the state of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] (represented by then-state Attorney General and future U.S. Senator [[Slade Gorton]]) sued the American League for breach of contract.<ref name="suit">{{Cite news |last=Cour |first=Jim |date=June 27, 1999 |title=No Love Lost for Kingdome |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jun-27-sp-50611-story.html |access-date=January 18, 2020 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Confident that Major League Baseball would return to Seattle within a few years, King County built the multi-purpose Kingdome, which would become home to the National Football League's expansion [[Seattle Seahawks]] in [[1976 NFL season|1976]].<ref name="HLMacIntosh">{{Cite web |last=MacIntosh |first=Heather |date=March 1, 2000 |title=Kingdome: The Controversial Birth of a Seattle Icon (1959–1976) |url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=2164 |access-date=March 15, 2011 |publisher=[[HistoryLink]]}}</ref> The name "Mariners" was chosen by club officials in August 1976 from more than 600 names submitted by 15,000 entrants in a "name the team" contest. The name was submitted by Roger Szmodis of [[Bellevue, Washington]]. When the Mariners attempted to reach Szmodis about the prize he had won, they were unsuccessful—initially and ultimately.<ref name="mchsnm">{{Cite news |date=August 25, 1976 |title=The Mariners chosen as name for new team |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f_BVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=R-EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3905%2C6280430 |access-date=January 19, 2020 |work=[[The Register-Guard]] |page=3C |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref><ref name="Szmodis">{{Cite web |last=Johns |first=Greg |date=December 1, 2021 |title=How and why Mariners got their team name |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/seattle-mariners-team-name-history |access-date=November 22, 2023 |website=MLB.com}}</ref>

[[File:Ken Griffey, Jr. June 2009.jpg|thumb|190px|[[Ken Griffey Jr.]] holds six single-season batting records and an individual career record for the Mariners franchise.]]

The first home run in team history was hit on April 10, 1977, by designated hitter [[Juan Bernhardt]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Club Firsts |url=https://www.mlb.com/mariners/history/club-firsts |access-date=May 12, 2019 |website=MLB.com}}</ref>

That year, pitcher [[Diego Seguí]], in his last major league season, became the only player to play for both the Pilots and the Mariners. The Mariners finished with a 64–98 record, matching the 1969 Pilots' record. The team avoided finishing in last place in the AL West by half a game. The Mariners would not post a winning record or finish above 4th place in any of their first 14 seasons. In 1979, Seattle hosted the [[1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|50th Major League Baseball All-Star Game]]. After the 1981 season, the Mariners were sold to California businessman [[George Argyros]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=1989-08-24 |title=Scoring Profit in the Big Leagues: Though his Seattle Mariners haven't won a World Series, Newport Beach owner George Argyros stands to more than quadruple his investment in the team. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-24-fi-1315-story.html |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> who in turn sold the team in 1989 to a group led by Indianapolis-based [[Jeff Smulyan]], who owned radio and television stations, for $76&nbsp;million. Smulyan proposed moving the team to [[Tampa, Florida]] or another market in 1992 before he put the team up for sale.<ref name="Times-Ownership">{{Cite news |date=April 28, 2016 |title=Mariners sale by the numbers: Key figures, facts, timeline, rank in MLB |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-sale-by-the-numbers/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Good |first1=Jeffery |last2=Hijek |first2=Barbara |last3=Wolfe |first3=Debbie |last4=Bennett |first4=Kitty |last5=Bell |first5=Beverly |date=January 19, 1992 |title=Jeff Smulyan: Trouble sea for the Mariners' captain |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/01/19/jeff-smulyan-troubled-seas-for-the-mariners-captain/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |work=[[Tampa Bay Times]] |page=F1}}</ref> [[Nintendo of America]] bought the team in 1992; Nintendo CEO [[Hiroshi Yamauchi]], who held a 49 percent share of the franchise, had never been to a baseball game but sought to thank the city for its role in the company's success.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 18, 2013 |title=Hiroshi Yamauchi, 85, transformed Nintendo, owned Seattle Mariners |url=https://www.twincities.com/2013/09/18/hiroshi-yamauchi-85-transformed-nintendo-owned-seattle-mariners/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |work=[[St. Paul Pioneer Press]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Drosendahl |first=Glenn |date=September 11, 2010 |title=A group of local investors announces plans to buy the Seattle Mariners on January 23, 1992. |url=https://historylink.org/File/9562 |access-date=May 26, 2024 |website=HistoryLink}}</ref>

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| image1 = Seattle Mariners logo 1977 to 1979.png
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| caption1 = Mariners logo, 1977–1979

| image2 = Seattle Mariners logo 1980 to 1986.png
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| caption2 = Mariners logo, 1980–1986. Created for the [[1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1979 MLB All-Star Game]]; was featured on the team's batting helmets for the first time that year.

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| caption3 = Mariners logo, 1987–1992
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Before the 1993 season, the Mariners hired manager [[Lou Piniella]], who had led the [[Cincinnati Reds]] to victory in the [[1990 World Series]]. Mariners fans embraced Piniella,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Raley |first=Dan |date=July 12, 2003 |title=Piniella returns to Seattle's warm embrace |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/baseball/130629_lou12.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910173352/http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Piniella-returns-to-Seattle-s-warm-embrace-1119202.php |archive-date=10 September 2012 |access-date=January 19, 2020 |work=[[The Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]}}</ref> and he would helm the team from {{Baseball year|1993}} through {{Baseball year|2002}}, winning two American League [[Manager of the Year Award]]s during his tenure. (Piniella was selected by the Pilots in the [[1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft|1968 expansion draft]] but did not play for Seattle, being traded in April 1969 to the [[Kansas City Royals]], where he earned AL [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]] honors that year.)

The Mariners first won the AL West and made the playoffs in 1995, despite star outfielder [[Ken Griffey Jr.]] missing much of the season after breaking his wrist crashing into the center field wall.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1995-05-27 |title=Griffey out 3 months with broken wrist |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/05/27/Griffey-out-3-months-with-broken-wrist/9916801547200/ |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref> The team defeated the California Angels in a one-game playofff to win the division.<ref>{{Cite web |title=California Angels vs Seattle Mariners Box Score: October 2, 1995 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA199510020.shtml |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Mariners returned to the playoffs in 1997 and 2000.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Postseason Results {{!}} Seattle Mariners |url=https://www.mlb.com/mariners/history/postseason-results |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

The {{mlby|2001}} Mariners finished with a record of 116–46, leading all of Major League Baseball in winning percentage for the duration of the season and easily winning the American League West division title. In doing so, the team broke the [[1998 New York Yankees season|1998 New York Yankees]]' American League single-season record of 114 wins and matched the all-time MLB single-season record for wins set by the {{Baseball year|1906}} [[Chicago Cubs]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 1, 2021 |title=Seattle Mariners set American League record for wins in a season |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/record-setting-mlb-teams-seattle-mariners-wins |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=[[History.com]]}}</ref> At the end of the season, [[Ichiro Suzuki]] won the AL [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]], AL [[MLB Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year]], and one of three outfield [[Gold Glove Award]]s, becoming the first player since the [[Fred Lynn]] in 1975 to win all three in the same season.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schoenfield |first=David |date=November 20, 2001 |title=Ichiro becomes rare leadoff hitter to win |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/s/2001/1120/1281610.html |access-date=November 13, 2024 |publisher=ESPN}}</ref> The Mariners advanced through the postseason but lost to the [[New York Yankees|Yankees]] in the [[2001 American League Championship Series|2001 ALCS]].<ref name="Times-Drought2018">{{Cite news |last=Webeck |first=Evan |date=March 29, 2018 |title=Mariner pitfalls: 16 sour seasons |url=https://projects.seattletimes.com/2018/mariners-missteps/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |pages=D6–D7}}</ref> It would be the team's last playoff appearance until 2022.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kramer |first=Daniel |date=October 1, 2022 |title='We're here': Mariners clinch first postseason spot since 2001 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/seattle-mariners-clinch-first-postseason-berth-since-2001 |access-date=October 4, 2022 |work=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>

The Mariners had a 93-win season in {{mlby|2002}} but failed to make the postseason. Manager Lou Piniella was traded to the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] during the offseason. The team repeated with 93 wins in 2003 and also did not qualify for the playoffs.<ref name="Times-Drought2018" /> On October 22, {{mlby|2008}} the Mariners announced the hiring of [[Jack Zduriencik]], formerly [[scout (sport)|scouting]] director of the [[Milwaukee Brewers]], as their general manager.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Larry |date=October 22, 2008 |title=M's hire Brewers' Jack Zduriencik as GM |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2008297647_webmari23.html |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref> Weeks later, on November 18, the team named [[Oakland Athletics]] bench coach [[Don Wakamatsu]] as its new manager. The off-season also saw a litany of roster moves, headlined by a 12-player, 3-team trade that sent All-Star closer [[J. J. Putz]] to the [[New York Mets]] and brought 5 players, including prospect [[Mike Carp]] and outfielder [[Endy Chávez]] from New York and outfielder [[Franklin Gutiérrez]] from the [[Cleveland Indians]], to Seattle. Many of the moves, like the free-agent signing of [[Mike Sweeney]], were made in part with the hope of squelching the clubhouse infighting that plagued the Mariners in 2008. It also saw the return of Seattle favorite Griffey Jr.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 17, 2009 |title=Angst in Mariners' clubhouse |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/sports/baseball/article/Angst-in-Mariners-clubhouse-1300301.php |access-date=July 18, 2018 |website=[[The Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]}}</ref> The 2009–10 offseason was highlighted by the trade for 2008 AL [[Cy Young Award]] winner [[Cliff Lee]] from the [[Philadelphia Phillies]], the signing of third baseman [[Chone Figgins]], and the contract extension of star pitcher [[Félix Hernández]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 19, 2012 |title=Figgins' addition doesn't rule out Beltre |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091208&content_id=7775770&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309183558/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091208&content_id=7775770&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |access-date=October 15, 2012 |publisher=Seattle Mariners}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mariners finalize deal with Phils for Lee |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091216&content_id=7817826&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419034057/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091216&content_id=7817826&vkey=news_sea&c_id=sea&fext=.jsp |archive-date=April 19, 2013 |access-date=October 15, 2012 |publisher=Seattle Mariners}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-02-07 |title=Source: King Felix gets $135.5M |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8926518/felix-hernandez-seattle-mariners-agree-1355-million-contract-extension-according-sources |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=ESPN}}</ref>

[[File:10 inside kindome.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|Inside the [[Kingdome]] (1977–June 1999)]]

Griffey Jr. announced his retirement on June 2, 2010, after 22 MLB seasons.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Street |first=Jim |date=June 2, 2010 |title=Griffey Jr. announces his retirement |url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/10725878 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219135545/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/10725878 |archive-date=February 19, 2015 |access-date=May 12, 2019 |work=MLB.com}}</ref> After its busy offseason and high expectations, the team flopped in 2010, finishing with the worst record in the American League. The Mariners fired [[Don Wakamatsu|Wakamatsu]] along with several coaches on August 9, 2010. [[Daren Brown]], the manager of the Triple-A affiliate [[Tacoma Rainiers]], took over as interim manager.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Street |first=Jim |date=August 9, 2010 |title=Mariners replace Wakamatsu with Brown |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100809&content_id=13232624&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101016054551/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100809&content_id=13232624&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |archive-date=October 16, 2010 |access-date=May 12, 2019 |work=Mariners.com}}</ref> [[Dave Niehaus]], the Mariners' play-by-play announcer since the team's inception, died of a [[heart attack]] on November 10, 2010, at the age of 75.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stone |first=Larry |date=October 27, 2012 |title=Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus dies |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2013399999_niehaus11.html |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref> In memory of Niehaus, Seattle rapper [[Macklemore]] wrote a tribute song called "My Oh My" in December 2010. He performed the song at the Mariners' [[Opening Day]] game on April 8, {{mlby|2011}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tweedie |first=Nate |title=#Popups: Macklemore and the Mariners |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover/pop-ups/macklemore-and-the-mariners |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame]]}}</ref> The Mariners hired former Cleveland manager [[Eric Wedge]] as their new manager on October 19, 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hickey |first=John |date=October 18, 2010 |title=Mariners Announce Hiring of Eric Wedge; Move Praised by Wood, Lee, Others |url=http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/10/18/mariners-announce-hiring-of-eric-wedge-move-praised-by-wood-le/ |access-date=October 15, 2012 |work=Fanhouse}}</ref> 

On April 21, 2012, [[Philip Humber]] of the [[Chicago White Sox]] threw the [[Philip Humber's perfect game|third perfect game]] in White Sox history against the Mariners in Seattle. It was the 21st [[Perfect game (baseball)|perfect game]] in [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adler |first=David |date=April 21, 2024 |title=Revisiting the unlikeliest perfecto |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/philip-humber-perfect-game-unlikeliest-in-mlb-history |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> Mariners starter [[Kevin Millwood]] and five relievers combined to throw the tenth combined no-hitter in MLB history, the first in Mariners history, on June 8. The six pitchers used in a no-hitter tied a major league record, first set by the [[Houston Astros]] in 2003. [[Félix Hernández]] pitched the [[Félix Hernández's perfect game|first perfect game]] in team history, shutting down the [[Tampa Bay Rays]] 1–0 at [[Safeco Field]] on August 15. It was the 23rd perfect game in Major League Baseball history.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Greenberg |first=Chris |date=August 15, 2012 |title=Félix Hernández Perfect Game: Mariners Ace Records 27 Straight Outs In 1-0 Win Over Rays (VIDEO) |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/felix-hernandez-perfect-game_n_1784547.html |access-date=October 27, 2012 |work=[[The Huffington Post]]}}</ref> The Mariners became the first team in Major League Baseball to be involved in two perfect games in one season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eagle |first=Ed |date=March 11, 2019 |title=All-time perfect games in MLB history |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/perfect-game-c265862286 |access-date=January 19, 2020 |website=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>

Zduriencik was fired on August 28, 2015. [[Jerry Dipoto]], a former general manager of the [[Los Angeles Angels|Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim]], was hired as the Mariners' new general manager one month later.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johns |first=Greg |date=September 28, 2015 |title=Dipoto hired by Mariners to be general manager |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/jerry-dipoto-named-mariners-general-manager-c152081594 |access-date=April 29, 2017 |work=MLB.com}}</ref> On October 9, manager [[Lloyd McClendon]] was fired.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-10-09 |title=Lloyd McClendon out as Mariners manager after 2 seasons |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/13844497/seattle-mariners-fire-manager-lloyd-mcclendon-two-seasons |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=ESPN |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> [[Scott Servais]] was named the new Mariners' manager on October 23.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johns |first=Greg |date=October 26, 2015 |title=Mariners name Servais manager |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/scott-servais-is-new-mariners-manager-c155360070 |access-date=April 29, 2017 |work=MLB.com}}</ref>

[[Nintendo of America|Nintendo]] announced on April 27, 2016, that it would sell its controlling stake in the Mariners to First Avenue Entertainment [[limited partnership]], led by [[John W. Stanton]]. Nintendo retained a 10 percent ownership share of the team after the sale was completed in August 2016. The franchise was valued at $1.4&nbsp;billion at the time and included [[Root Sports Northwest]], the team's regional television network.<ref name="Times-Ownership" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Divish |first=Ryan |author-link=Ryan Divish |date=April 27, 2016 |title=Mariners to be sold by Nintendo to ownership group led by John Stanton |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/nintendo-to-sell-90-percent-interest-in-mariners-to-group-led-by-john-stanton/ |access-date=May 5, 2016 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The Stanton/Dipoto/Servais era was characterized by two competitive phases. In the first phase, the organization tried to contend for a championship with the existing core of [[Robinson Cano]], [[Félix Hernández]], [[Nelson Cruz]], and [[Kyle Seager]]. The team came close but ultimately missed the playoffs. Following the 2018 season, the organization pivoted to a rebuild, trading several players for prospects. Following a fallow period of 2019–20, the team returned to contention in 2021, winning 90 games but falling short of the playoffs. In 2022, with a new core including [[Julio Rodríguez]], [[J. P. Crawford]], [[Cal Raleigh]], [[Luis Castillo (pitcher, born 1992)|Luis Castillo]], [[George Kirby (baseball)|George Kirby]], and [[Logan Gilbert]], the team reached the postseason for the first time since 2001. This broke what was at the time the longest playoff drought of any team in the "Big Four" North American sports.<ref>{{Cite web |title=20 facts to celebrate Seattle's drought ending |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mariners-playoff-drought-stats-and-facts |access-date=2025-03-06 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Divish |first=Ryan |author-link=Ryan Divish |date=September 30, 2022 |title=Mariners clinch first postseason berth since 2001 on walk-off home run |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-clinch-first-postseason-berth-since-2001-on-walk-off-home-run/ |access-date=October 1, 2022 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref> Rodríguez also won the American League Rookie of the Year Award. In 2023, the team won 88 games but finished one game out of a playoff spot. In August 2024, Servais was fired and replaced by the team's former catcher [[Dan Wilson (catcher)|Dan Wilson]] as manager.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kramer |first=Daniel |date=August 23, 2024 |title=Mariners dismiss Servais as manager, name Dan Wilson as replacement |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/scott-servais-fired-as-mariners-manager |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> The team again missed the playoffs by one game.