Can Two Teams That Never Won a World Series Win It All in the Next Three Years?
Both the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers have been denied spots in this year’s World Series. Although their fan bases may still be hurting, there is much to look forward to and build upon for these two franchises. The Mariners finally broke through and won the American League West. The Brewers put together a dream season that took the MLB by storm.
As smaller market teams, both are middle of the road in terms of projected payroll next season, so they may still pursue free agents or make trades to try to build and rise to another level. However, reviewing the key players they have now is a valuable piece in evaluating their chances of title contention. The good news for the Mariners is that the foundation of the team, Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh, is locked down for the near future, until at least 2030, when there is a club option for Rodriguez’s contract. As for the Brewers, their face of the franchise, Christian Yelich, had a healthy 2025 campaign and is guaranteed to stay a Brewer through the 2028 season. His age-37 season in 2029 will be a mutual option. However, their slugging catcher, William Contreras, is under team control on a team option until the end of the 2026 season before his last round of arbitration. Assuming the Brewers pick up the team option to keep the 27-year-old, another deep playoff run or two may convince him to stay in Milwaukee for the long run.
Some teams will likely stand in the way of the Brewers and Mariners year after year. In the National League, of course, the Los Angeles Dodgers pose a major challenge. Barring any major injuries, the Dodgers expect to contend for a title every year, especially with the organization so aggressive in free agency over the last few years. On the other hand, in the AL, the Detroit Tigers pushed the Mariners to seven games in the ALDS. In addition, American League East teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are not afraid to take a gamble in combining homegrown talent with high-profile free agents. It seems even more likely now that their division rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays, who have built a well-rounded team, run the AL gauntlet, and earned a trip to the World Series this year, will be in playoff contention in the years to come.
The path back to the AL Championship Series and the NL Championship is not easy, let alone the World Series. Although there is still much to be determined in the coming seasons, both teams are in a strong position to retain their key players. Which player will suddenly have a breakout season and blossom into a star…or even a superstar? The two teams must find a way to continue building on the momentum of this season to reach greater heights and the ultimate goal of a World Series title.
