For the first time since the rookie season of Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, the Seattle Mariners are AL West champions. The Mariners secured their first division title since 2001 by defeating the Colorado Rockies 9-2. Seattle had already clinched a postseason berth earlier this week.

“We’re not done yet,” MVP candidate Cal Raleigh said after securing a playoff spot. “Obviously we’ll enjoy this moment and celebrate. Like I said, we have bigger things on the horizon.”

Seattle’s division title drought, lasting 23 years, ranked as the fourth-longest active streak in baseball. Notably, only the Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins, who haven’t earned a division title since joining the league as expansion teams in 1993, and the Pittsburgh Pirates had longer droughts.

The Mariners have a strong chance of making a significant impact this postseason with a potent offense, bolstered by key players like Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez brought in during the trade deadline. Meanwhile, the ongoing collapse of the Detroit Tigers enhances Seattle’s prospects of clinching a Wild Card Series bye, allowing players like Bryan Woo the time to recover from injuries and providing rest for the bullpen. This accomplishment marks only the Mariners’ fourth division title in franchise history.