The Seattle Mariners are sitting seven games under .500 right now, but don’t you dare write them off. This team is *still* only 2.5 games out of the final American League wild-card spot. Seriously, I’m not making this up. It feels like we should have been left for dead this season, yet here we are, fighting for a playoff spot in what has to be the most bizarre AL race in recent memory.
The AL West: A Total Train Wreck We Might Just Cash In On
Look, the American League West is a complete mess. It’s so bad it’s actually embarrassing to even talk about. We’re staring down the barrel of a playoff team, maybe even a division winner, finishing with a losing record. As of today, the Houston Astros are leading the division, and they’re only one game over .500! Remember when they were 11 games under? Our guys just beat them 3-2, too. The Rangers, who had a pitiful week against weak teams, are three games under .500, yet they’re only two games out of the division lead. It’s truly wild. For our M’s, being four games out in the division and seven games under .500 somehow makes them a contender here. It defies logic, but that’s where we’re at.
The Entire American League is Just… Weird
It’s not just our division that’s acting up. The whole American League is a rough look. The Rays, who had the best record and even finished a 9-0 road trip to get to 74-46, just got their teeth kicked in by a mediocre Orioles team for three straight games. And get this: those same Orioles are two games under .500, yet they’re tied for the third and final AL wild-card spot. They’ve rarely looked like a good team all season and haven’t been more than two games above .500 once. Even teams like the Blue Jays and Tigers, who were absolute sellers at the trade deadline, are only one game out of a playoff spot. Can you believe it? The Twins, Guardians, Rangers, and Mariners are all considered contenders, but honestly, none of them feel like they have that “contender” vibe. The Rays are still a decent bet, and if the Yankees get Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Giancarlo Stanton back fully functional, they could be dangerous. But beyond that, it feels like anything could happen. This league is so wide open, you just know “something truly stupid” is going to go down, like a losing record team making a pennant run.
We just took down the Astros, 3-2. Next up, it’s about capitalizing on this absolute chaos. Our guys have to keep grinding, because in this bonkers American League, a winning streak could actually flip the script. This season is shaping up to be one for the history books, and our Mariners are right in the thick of it. Let’s see what happens!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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