Seattle Mariners chairman and managing partner John Stanton has addressed fans directly in the wake of the 2025 season, choosing a personal and public approach to communicate both gratitude and resolve. Stanton composed an open letter, which first appeared as a full-page advertisement in The Seattle Times on Sunday and was later shared across the club’s social media channels. Accompanying the letter was a short message that articulated the franchise’s appreciation for its supporters: “Thank you for being the best fans in baseball.”
The decision to publish a full-page message underscores the magnitude of this season—one that brought unforgettable highs and a heartbreakingly abrupt finish. The 2025 Mariners delivered one of the most successful seasons in franchise history, crossing milestones that had eluded the organization for decades. Seattle powered through the regular season to a 90–52 record, earning its first American League West division championship in 24 years. For fans who have endured long rebuilds, near-misses, and extended postseason droughts, this regular season alone felt like a breakthrough.
Yet, the campaign didn’t stop with a division banner. With their 90-win performance, the Mariners also secured the No. 2 seed in the American League, which granted them a coveted bye past the Wild Card round. In the AL Division Series, Seattle faced the Detroit Tigers and defeated them in five games—a series that showcased their pitching depth, clutch hitting, and the poise of a team that believed a championship run was within reach.
Then came the American League Championship Series, a dramatic seven-game battle with the Toronto Blue Jays. For the first time in franchise history, Seattle won three games in an ALCS, moving just one victory away from a trip to the World Series—a destination that has eluded the Mariners since their inception. Mariners fans lived every moment—the improbable rallies, the tension-packed innings, the roar of T-Mobile Park echoing across the region. For a fan base that has carried decades of postseason frustration, this series provided a glimpse of something transcendent.
But the ending was abrupt and painful. The Mariners traveled to Toronto with a 3–2 lead and two opportunities to clinch the American League title. Instead, the Blue Jays held serve at home, winning both Game 6 and Game 7, thwarting Seattle’s dream of its first World Series appearance. For the Mariners, it was a finish that felt cruelly familiar: so close to history, only to watch the opportunity slip away.
That emotional journey is reflected in Stanton’s open letter. In it, he did not hide from the heartbreak or attempt to sugarcoat the ending. He wrote: “I’m heartbroken at the way the season ended.” The statement captures not only his own disappointment but also the collective feeling of players, coaches, front-office personnel, and—most of all—the fans.
The letter goes beyond emotion, shifting toward vision and determination. Stanton addressed fans directly, emphasizing the organization’s gratitude and acknowledging the role supporters played in driving the team through the year. He thanked fans “on behalf of everyone” in the Mariners organization, noting that the connection between club and community is central to the franchise’s identity.
Stanton also used the message to reinforce a commitment that fans have been waiting decades to hear: the Mariners intend not only to contend but to reach the World Series.
“The Northwest deserves a World Series,” he wrote. “I know we are going to get there. This is the beginning of a special era of Mariners Baseball. There is work to do to take that final step. That work starts now.”
His words serve as both a promise and a challenge—one that signals the front office’s readiness to continue building around the current core of players. The letter implies that the upcoming offseason will be one shaped by urgency. This roster has tasted what a deep playoff run feels like. The chairman wants to ensure it gets another chance—and goes further.
In many ways, Stanton’s open letter mirrors the emotional arc of the season: exhilaration, frustration, pride, and renewed determination. It speaks to the bond between the team and a region that waited nearly a quarter of a century to raise another division flag and now hungers for an even bigger achievement. Fans have endured the lean years; now they want a parade.
Even in the disappointment of falling one win short of the Fall Classic, the message is clear: this is not the end of the story—only the beginning of something larger. The Mariners reached heights they had never touched before. Stanton believes this group, and this fan base, can go even higher.
And now, with the letter published and the emotions still raw, offseason work begins.
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