Editing Seattle Mariners (section)

==Rivalries==
=== Divisional ===
The Mariners also held a longstanding divisional rivalry with the [[Oakland Athletics]] as they would often battle for playoff contention or lead of the division through the early 2000s. Following the realignment of the division in 2013, the Mariners have also built a recent rivalry with the [[Houston Astros]] as both teams have handily fought for control of the division.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why Houston Astros Joining AL West Helps the Seattle Mariners |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/963588-why-houston-astros-joining-al-west-helps-the-seattle-mariners |website=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Preusser |first=Kate |date=July 21, 2022 |title=A Mariners-Astros rivalry is the best thing for baseball today |url=https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2022/7/21/23272373/mariners-astros-rivalry-sell-some-tickets-rob-manfred |access-date=June 4, 2023 |website=Lookout Landing |publisher=Vox Media}}</ref>

====Los Angeles Angels====
The [[Los Angeles Angels]] have maintained an off-and-on rivalry with the Mariners as both teams have often fought for control of the division or a playoff berth. Both teams often clashed for playoff positions during the early 2000s as the Mariners boasted a 116 win team in 2001 while the Angels managed to win the [[2002 World Series|World Series]] in 2002. Despite both teams encountering a decline through the decade, regular matchups often developed into clashes for relevance in the division. Recently, both teams were each trying to end postseason droughts, bolstered by players such as [[Julio Rodríguez]] and [[Ty France]] for Seattle and [[Shohei Ohtani]] and [[Mike Trout]] for the Angels<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seattle Mariners Tailgating |url=https://supertailgate.com/stadium/seattle-mariners |website=Supertailgate.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stone |first=Larry |date=August 26, 2007 |title=Rivalry renewal |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2007/aug/26/rivalry-renewal/ |website=Spokesman.com |publisher=Seattle Times}}</ref> The two teams have met 741 times, with the Angels leading the series 400–341. The teams have yet to meet in the postseason.<ref>{{Cite web |title=La Angels Record Vs Mariners |url=https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask/la-angels-record-vs-mariners |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref> In 2022, tensions were heightened after Angels pitcher [[Andrew Wantz]] intentionally hit Mariners batter [[Jesse Winker]] with a pitch, leading to a major brawl that resulted in several players receiving suspensions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leitch |first=Will |author-link=Will Leitch |date=April 26, 2020 |title=Here's each team's fiercest rival -- right now |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/biggest-rival-for-every-mlb-team |access-date=June 4, 2023 |work=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>

====Houston Astros====
The Mariners and [[Houston Astros]] have fought for control of the division in recent years. The 2022 season saw the Mariners return to the playoffs, winning their first series since 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 7, 2023 |title=Seattle Mariners Make History in Win Over Houston Astros on Saturday |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/history/seattle-mariners-make-history-in-win-over-houston-astros-on-saturday}}</ref> The Mariners and Astros faced off in the ALDS, with Houston sweeping the Mariners in 3 games. Recent animosity among players has included brawls and inside pitches.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=Hector Neris apology does little to warm over Julio Rodriguez |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38514750/astros-hector-neris-apologizes-julio-rodriguez-mariners |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-25 |title=Julio Rodriguez homers off Astros' Hector Neris to reach 20-20 club again |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/julio-rodriguez-homers-off-astros-hector-neris-to-reach-20-20-club-again-mariners-notebook/ |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The series is lopsided in favor of the Astros, which lead the all-time regular season series 128–91 and have a perfect 3–0 record against Seattle in the postseason.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Houston Astros vs. Seattle Mariners: Head-to-Head Reg Season and Playoffs Stats Comparison |url=https://stathead.com/baseball/vs/houston-astros-vs-seattle-mariners |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=Stathead}}</ref>

===Interleague===
====The Vedder Cup====
An unusual rivalry exists between the Mariners and the [[National League (baseball)|National League]]'s [[San Diego Padres]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Western Front: A Brief History of the Vedder Cup |url=https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/17243/western-front-a-brief-history-of-the-vedder-cup/}}</ref> The matchup was designated one of the 15 "naturalized rivalries" when interleague play began in 1997, and the teams have played every year since, except 2017.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Togerson |first=Derek |date=2016-05-30 |title=How the Vedder Cup Came to Be |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/how-the-vedder-cup-came-to-be/60870/ |website=NBC San Diego}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-03-14 |title=Mariners "Heating Up" the Rivalry |url=https://www.gaslampball.com/2013/3/14/4104230/mariners-heating-up-the-rivalry |website=Gaslamp Ball |publisher=SB Nation}}</ref> 

Little on the surface links the two teams, who play in separate leagues and in cities that sit about 1,250 miles apart. Still, they share a spring training facility—the [[Peoria Sports Complex]] in [[Peoria, Arizona]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Power Ranking Every 'Hometown' Interleague Rivalry |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1652895-power-ranking-every-hometown-interleague-rivalry |website=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref>—and in many years have competed for draft picks and prospects after failing to make the playoffs. (The Padres failed to win a single playoff series between 1999 and 2019, while the Mariners failed to make the playoffs from 2002 to 2021. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Devils Talking Padres – Padres drop series to Dodgers, return home for Vedder Cup |url=https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/devils-talking-padres-padres-drop-series-to-dodgers-return-home-for-vedder-cup/ |website=East Village Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-05-12 |title=Padres Head to Seattle For Vedder Cup |url=https://friarsonbase.com/2015/05/12/padres-head-to-seattle-for-vedder-cup/ |website=Friars on base}}</ref>) Far from a bitter rivalry, it is viewed by the teams and most fans as more of a humorous contest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gorra |first=Jeff |date=June 3, 2016 |title=The Legacy of the Vedder Cup |url=https://artistwaves.com/the-legacy-of-the-vedder-cup/ |website=Artist Waves}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Muck |first=Jeremy |date=2015-03-05 |title=Vedder Cup has finally gotten some Intrigue! |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2015/mar/05/vedder-cup-has-finally-got-some-intrigu/ |website=nwaonline.com}}</ref>

The rivalry has long been unofficially called the '''Vedder Cup''' after [[Pearl Jam]] frontman [[Eddie Vedder]], who claims both Seattle and San Diego as hometowns—and who roots for the [[Chicago Cubs]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unlike past years, 'Vedder Cup' series between M's and Padres will have intrigue |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/unlike-past-years-vedder-cup-series-between-ms-and-padres-will-have-intrigue/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Rotation: A History of the Vedder Cup, Baseball's Strangest Rivalry |url=https://www.pitcherlist.com/the-rotation-history-vedder-cup-baseballs-strangest-rivalry/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brock |first=Corey |last2=Lin |first2=Dennis |date=April 20, 2020 |title=A Vedder Cup unlike any other: Simming the 2022 World Series |url=https://theathletic.com/1758263/2020/04/20/a-vedder-cup-unlike-any-other-simming-the-2022-world-series/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20200424225709/https://theathletic.com/1758263/2020/04/20/a-vedder-cup-unlike-any-other-simming-the-2022-world-series/ |archive-date=2020-04-24 |website=[[The Athletic]]}}</ref> From the 2025 season, the rivalry will be officially designated as the Vedder Cup, with a trophy designed by Vedder himself.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stumbaugh |first=Julia |title=Padres, Mariners to Compete in MLB's Vedder Cup; Trophy Designed by Pearl Jam Singer |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25171113-padres-mariners-compete-mlbs-vedder-cup-trophy-designed-pearl-jam-singer |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Bleacher Report}}</ref>