Athletics at Seattle Mariners

SEATTLE – Despite the 14-game difference in overall win total, there wasn’t much separation whenever the Athletics matched up against the eventual American League West champion Mariners last season. If Monday night’s first encounter of 2026 between these two clubs is any indication, we might be in for some more nail-biting action. A trio of solo shots by Carlos Cortes, Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers erased an early three-run deficit. From there, J.T. Ginn and the A’s bullpen managed to limit the Mariners to one run the rest of the way, with a three-run eighth capped by Lawrence Butler’s two-run single enough for a 6-4 victory at T-Mobile Park. It was an encouraging start to a big six-game divisional road trip for this playoff-aspiring A’s squad that starts with three against the Mariners and continues over the weekend with three against the Rangers. In ‘25, the A’s went 6-7 against Seattle, with 11 of the 13 head-to-head matchups decided by two runs or fewer. The A’s actually outscored the Mariners in that season series, 49-48. Monday’s series opener had a similar vibe, where it felt like every pitch after the A’s tied it in the sixth was of the utmost importance. “\[The Mariners\