MLB released the 2026 regular season schedule on Tuesday and there was plenty to be interested by if you are a Seattle Mariners fan.
There’s always something exciting about when your team drops their schedule for next season, and it’s no different for Seattle Mariners fans. As such, there was plenty to be excited by on Tuesday, as Major League Baseball released the 2026 regular season schedule:
What stands out right away is that this will be the earliest start to a season in Major League history. However, we’re here to focus on the Mariners specifically, with five takeaways from their schedule for next year:
1. Home cooking to start things off
The Mariners will open their season at home for the fourth consecutive year and fifth time in six years, when they begin a four-game series versus the Cleveland Guardians on March 26. They will then continue a seven-game homestand with three games against the Yankees between March 30 and April 1.
On the flip side the M’s will finish the 2026 season away from home with a six-game road trip. They will first play two games in Houston against the Astros on September 22-23 and then complete things in Anaheim versus the Angels, between September 24-27.
2. World Cup implications
The United States are the main hosts for the 2026 World Cup which will take place between June 11 and July 19, right in the heart of the MLB season. And with Seattle being one of the host cities, this puts the Mariners in an interesting position.
As a result there are a couple of quirks in the M’s schedule for next year, including playing a two-day, three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox on June 20-21 with a doubleheader on June 20. The other quirk will see the team play a three-game home series versus the Angels over four days between June 29-July 2, with a day off coming on July 1.
3. The dog days of summer
This is the phrase often used to describe the slog which takes place during arguably the toughest period of the MLB season. And for the Mariners specifically, it really does seem as if August next year will require plenty of mental fortitude and endurance.
In particular — at least based on this season’s records — eight of the 10 teams the M’s will face during August are currently in playoff positions. Even allowing for no guarantees teams will still be contenders the following year, these eight teams include the Tigers, Yankees, Astros, Brewers, Cubs, Phillies, Blue Jays and Red Sox.
4. Mariners getting a bit more love on their travels
Purely because of geographical location, the Mariners are usually at or near the top when it comes to most miles travelled by a Major League team during the regular season. However, next year it would appear MLB is making more of an effort to help the M’s deal with being based in Seattle.
The Mariners will have three road trips with three-city stops during the 2026 season, with the longest trek being 10 games in 10 days between June 5-14 in Detroit, Baltimore and finally the nation’s capital in Washington. This is an encouraging drop from the five three-city stops they have on their schedule this season.
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5. Other notes
- The Mariners will play 13 games against each of their four AL West division rivals, including seven of 13 on the road against the Astros.
- Still on the AL West, the M’s path to first place will truly be decided at crunch time within the division. That’s because 19 of their final 22 regular season games next year will be played versus AL West opponents.
- Going back to point four about a kinder schedule in 2026, the Mariners’ longest stretch without a break will be 13 days and that comes early in the season between April 10-22 when they will be fresher. Now compare that to this season, with the team having two stretches of 17 straights games.
Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rodgers Photography
What stands out for you from the Mariners’ schedule for next season? Are there any series or overall homestands in particular which you are most intrigued by or looking forward to? Let us know in the comments section below.
