The AL West is coming down to the absolute wire, with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers sitting tied atop the division standings at 79-80. Houston’s got the tie-breaker for now, but what a battle! Meanwhile, for your Seattle Mariners, the 2026 season is already a wrap. Our boys are limping to the finish line with a 74-85 record and have been officially eliminated from playoff contention. Yeah, it stings. We were stuck in third place, five games back from that division lead, just watching the drama unfold elsewhere.
The AL West Showdown and The M’s Reality Check
It’s tough to see the Astros and Rangers battling it out for the division title when we’re already packing up for next year. While they fight for every inch, the Emerald City’s team is left wondering what could have been. In the National League, the wild card race is still heating up, with the Phillies leading the Diamondbacks by two games for that final NL spot. The Padres and Cubs have already punched their wild card tickets, which is something. Over in the AL, the wild card spots are settled, but that AL Central race between the Guardians and White Sox is still going for the division crown, even though both are guaranteed at least the third wild card berth.
Historic Turnarounds and Playoff Predictions
You gotta hand it to the Boston Red Sox. Their postseason appearance is crazy after an inconsistent year. On June 24, they were 14 games below .500 with a 32-46 record! They’re only the fourth team ever to make the playoffs after being that far under .500, and their 31-44 start over 75 games is the worst for any playoff team in MLB history. Talk about a comeback! But September’s been rough, they’re last in runs per game at 3.00. The New York Yankees (92-67) and Red Sox (85-74) are looking like they’ll face off in the AL Wild Card Series again. With home-field advantage and a strong pitching staff, featuring Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, and Max Fried, the Yankees are expected to advance past Boston. My money’s on the Astros to win the AL West and then take down the White Sox in the other wild card matchup, thanks to their playoff experience and guys like Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez showing up big. That would set up an ALDS clash between the Guardians and Astros.
So while the rest of the league gears up for October, we’ll be watching. We’ll be watching the chaos, the clutch plays, and all the drama, wishing our Mariners were a part of it. Here’s to hoping next season, we’re not just spectators.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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