Last time Mariners made the ALCS: Revisiting the 2001 roster with Ichiro, Freddy Garcia, Edgar Martinez

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• When was the last time the Mariners made the ALCS?
• Have the Mariners ever won the ALCS?
• Have the Mariners ever won the World Series?
• 2001 Mariners season
• 2001 Mariners roster

The Seattle Mariners have experienced a bit of a revival in the 2020s, reaching the postseason twice after a 21-year drought. The ultimate goal, however, is a championship.

Despite plenty of stars who passed through Seattle in the 21st century, from Ichiro Suzuki and Felix Hernandez to Adrian Beltre and Cal Raleigh, a World Series appearance eludes the Mariners. Raleigh is leading the charge to change that, attempting to power Seattle to more postseason success than it has ever had before.

Before 2025, the Mariners' best chance at a championship came in the early 2000s, when they won a record 116 regular season games and reached the ALCS before falling to the New York Yankees' dynasty.

Here's a look back at the last time the Mariners reached the ALCS with a record-setting season.

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When was the last time the Mariners made the ALCS?

The Mariners last reached the ALCS in 2001, on the heels of a 116-46 regular season. The 2001 Mariners remain the winningest regular-season team in MLB history.

Despite all of their regular-season success and an ALDS victory over the Indians in five games, the Mariners still had to get past the juggernaut Yankees in the ALCS to reach the World Series. That proved to be too tall a task.

The Yankees took each of the first two games of the series in Seattle, winning by a combined margin of three runs but putting the Mariners in a 2-0 hole.

The Mariners' Game 2 loss was a clear turning point in the series, as they trailed 3-2 after four innings and shut out the Yankees the rest of the way but were blanked in each of the final five innings. Seattle didn't muster a baserunner against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who recorded the final five outs to send the series back to the Bronx with a clear leader.

The Mariners won Game 3 in the Bronx in resounding fashion, breaking through with 14 runs, but New York's postseason experience prevailed and allowed the Yankees to quickly bounce back with wins in Games 4 and 5.

Ichiro Suzuki hit just .222 in the ALCS after recording 242 hits in a rookie season that would also land him the AL MVP award.

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Have the Mariners ever won the ALCS?

The Mariners have reached the ALCS in 1995, 2000 and 2001, but they came up short in each series. Seattle has never advanced past the ALCS to the World Series. 

For two decades, just sneaking into the postseason was an impossible task for the Mariners. They saw their season end before the playoffs in each season from 2002-21, only snapping the drought when they earned a wild-card berth in 2022 and advanced to the ALDS.

In 2025, the Mariners won the AL West for the first time since 2001 and secured a bye to the ALDS.

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Have the Mariners ever won the World Series?

The Mariners have never won the World Series or even been to a World Series. They have advanced to the ALCS three times but have never won the series.

MORE: MLB teams to never win a World Series

2001 Mariners season

Postseason disappointment couldn't totally erase the level of dominance the Mariners achieved in 2001. Seattle's record of 116 regular-season wins still stands, and the franchise's +300 run differential ranks second in the 21st century behind only the 2022 Dodgers.

Managed by Lou Piniella, the Mariners enjoyed a 25-win improvement after finishing 91-71 in 2000, due partly to the arrival of Ichiro Suzuki from Japan. Ichiro hit the ground running in a way no other rookie ever has, batting .350 and leading MLB with 242 hits on his way to AL MVP and Rookie of the Year honors.

The Mariners had four other everyday hitters with an OPS north of .800: John Olerud, Bret Boone, Mike Cameron, and Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez. While Randy Johnson was no longer in Seattle, the Mariners' starting rotation made up two of the top four slots in AL Cy Young voting, as Freddy Garcia finished third and Jamie Moyer finished fourth.

Seattle didn't lose more than two consecutive games until September, and its longest win streak spanned 15 games to push the team from 32-12 to 47-12.

The Mariners' longest losing streak in 2001, spanning four games, came shortly after MLB resumed its schedule following the Sept. 11 attacks. Seattle still went 12-6 over its 18 games that followed the break, but

some attribute the Mariners' disappointing finish to the the abrupt pause.

MORE: Inside the Cal Raleigh vs. Aaron Judge AL MVP debate

2001 Mariners roster

Here's a look at the Mariners' ALCS roster in 2021:

The Mariners' 2001 roster featured two Hall of Famers in Suzuki and Martinez, as well as two future MLB managers. David Bell managed the Cincinnati Reds from 2019-23, while Dan Wilson is the current Mariners manager.