AL West
Seattle Mariners
T-Mobile Park · Seattle
The Seattle Mariners are a Major League Baseball team in the American League West division.
AL West Rivalry
Mariners–Astros
Battle for the AL West
A modern rivalry born when the Astros moved into the American League West, putting them in direct competition with the Mariners for the division. It peaked in a dramatic, ultra-tight 2022 AL Division Series.
The Rivalry
This rivalry has no nineteenth-century roots — it was created by realignment. When Houston shifted from the National League to the AL West in 2013, the Astros and Mariners became annual division opponents. Houston soon built one of the sport's dominant teams, winning the AL West in every full 162-game season from 2017 onward, while Seattle endured the longest active playoff drought in the major leagues. The frustration boiled over in the 2022 ALDS: Houston swept Seattle three games to none, but barely — Game 1 ended on Yordan Alvarez's three-run walk-off homer, and Game 3 ran a scoreless 18 innings before rookie Jeremy Peña's solo shot decided it. In 2025 the balance finally tipped when Seattle ended Houston's reign and claimed the division.
What's at Stake
The AL West has run through these two clubs, and every head-to-head series can swing a division title or a Wild Card berth. The angle is power and payback: for years Houston owned the West and Seattle could not break through, fueling deep fan frustration in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle's 2025 division crown reframed the matchup as a genuine two-team fight.
Famous Moments
- 2013 — Houston began play in the AL West, making the Astros and Mariners division rivals for the first time.
- 2022 — In ALDS Game 1, Yordan Alvarez hit a three-run walk-off homer to erase a four-run Houston deficit.
- 2022 — ALDS Game 3 went a scoreless 18 innings before Jeremy Peña's home run gave Houston a 1-0 win and a sweep.
- 2025 — Seattle swept Houston in Houston late in the season and clinched the AL West, ending the Astros' run of division titles.
The Two Teams
Plan the Trip
Visiting fans get two distinctive ballparks. Seattle's T-Mobile Park sits near downtown with a retractable roof and views toward the city, a comfortable hub for a Pacific Northwest trip. Houston's Daikin Park is a downtown, climate-controlled venue ideal in the Texas heat. Pairing a series in both cities offers wildly different vibes — coastal and rainy versus big-city Texas.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mariners–Astros
The two teams first met in 2013. A modern rivalry born when the Astros moved into the American League West, putting them in direct competition with the Mariners for the division. It peaked in a dramatic, ultra-tight 2022 AL Division Series.
The AL West has run through these two clubs, and every head-to-head series can swing a division title or a Wild Card berth. The angle is power and payback: for years Houston owned the West and Seattle could not break through, fueling deep fan frustration in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle's 2025 division crown reframed the matchup as a genuine two-team fight.
Yes — as AL West division rivals they face off many times across the 2026 MLB season.
Seattle Mariners host at T-Mobile Park in Seattle; Houston Astros play at their home stadium in Houston.
