The M’s are sitting at a gut-wrenching 71-82 with just nine games left in the season, and yeah, that stings. But even with the slimmest mathematical hope for a postseason berth, our legendary broadcaster Rick Rizzs, with only nine games left in his incredible 52-year career, isn’t ready to throw in the towel. He still sees a path, however narrow, for this club. Our boys are opening a three-game series against the Rockies in Colorado this weekend, and Rizzs says they’re not giving up, even if they need a ton of help from Houston.
Injuries Wrecked Everything and Rizzs Has the Receipts
Look, we all had high hopes for 2026. After coming within eight outs of the World Series last year, we were supposed to break through. Instead, it felt like the season was derailed before it even started. Rizzs didn’t mince words, calling out the “devastating rash of injuries” that hit us. Cal Raleigh was out five weeks in the first half with a strained oblique, a knock Rizzs even tied back to the World Baseball Classic. We lost J.P. Crawford for who knows how long, and Brendan Donovan? We barely saw him all season. Seventeen guys on the IL! Can you believe it? Rizzs said manager Dan Wilson could barely put his intended starting lineup on the field for more than a handful of games. Even the pitching staff, like George Kirby and Bryce Miller, struggled in the second half, with Miller battling injuries early on. It’s tough to win when your best guys are in the infirmary.
Kade Anderson, Montes, and Arroyo Are Here to Ignite the Emerald City
Despite all that frustration, Rizzs isn’t just about the past. He made an impassioned case for optimism, pointing straight to the “wave of young talent” that’s already hitting the big leagues. We’re talking Kade Anderson, people! This kid was a first-round pick last year, pitching in the College World Series, and now he’s already got four or five big-league starts under his belt. Rizzs called him the “best pitching prospect in baseball,” and we got him with the third pick overall. How hyped are we for that? And it’s not just Anderson. Rizzs sees outfielders Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo as future “cornerstones” for this team. Imagine those guys, along with Anderson, healthy and firing on all cylinders next year. Rizzs is “really positive for this organization” for 2027, and honestly, with talent like that, who can blame him?
So, yeah, the M’s are 5.5 games back in the American League West, needing a miracle against the Rockies and some serious help from the Astros. But Rizzs is right, we gotta look forward. If these young guns can stay healthy and ball out, 2027 could be the year we finally break through. Let’s get these last nine games, and then let’s build something special, Emerald City!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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