Seattle, WA
Playoff Picture: Seattle Mariners hold serve with series win
After a rough 2-7 East Coast road trip, the Seattle Mariners returned home to the friendly confines of T-Mobile Park and took two of three from the Athletics.
Cal Raleigh ties, then breaks MLB home run record for catchers
The Mariners eked out a 3-2 win on Friday night, lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in 10 innings on Saturday night and then exploded for an 11-4 victory on Sunday afternoon – highlighted by Cal Raleigh’s historic 48th and 49th home runs of the season.
What does the playoff picture look like now? Here’s a quick breakdown.
AL West race
The Mariners (70-61) are two games back of the American League West-leading Astros (72-59), who took three of four from the Baltimore Orioles this weekend. The lone remaining series between the M’s and Astros – a three-game set in Houston on Sept. 19-21 – continues to loom ever more important.
AL wild card race
Seattle is in a virtual tie with the New York Yankees (69-60) for the second wild card spot. Both teams are 1.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox (71-59), who hold the top wild card spot. The Red Sox are going for a four-game sweep of the Yankees on Sunday night.
There continues to be a bit of breathing room between Boston, New York, Seattle and the other top wild-card contenders. The Mariners are three games ahead of the Kansas City Royals (67-64), 4.5 games ahead of the Texas Rangers (66-66) and five games ahead of the slumping Cleveland Guardians (64-65).
Playoff and World Series odds
According to Fangraphs, Seattle has an 89.4% chance of reaching the playoffs and a 41.7% chance of winning the AL West. The Astros remain the AL West favorite, with a 56.9% chance of winning the division.
FanGraphs continues to see the Mariners as an especially dangerous team should they get to October. Seattle has the fourth-best odds to win the AL pennant (16.2%) and the sixth-best odds to win the World Series (8.3%).
Up next
The second half of the Vedder Cup begins on Monday night, when the Mariners host the interleague rival San Diego Padres for a three-game series at T-Mobile Park. The M’s swept the Padres in San Diego on May 16-18, which means they need only one more win against the Friars to clinch the inaugural Vedder Cup trophy.
The Padres (74-57) are tied with the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Seattle Mariners place Dylan Moore on unconditional release waivers
• Seattle Mariners reinstate Victor Robles from IL, DFA Dylan Moore
• Seattle Mariners prospect Lazaro Montes ‘does things most guys can’t do’
• Seattle Mariners RHP Bryan Woo keeps remarkable run going with another gem
• Seattle Mariners trying Emerson Hancock in ‘pen has former reliever intrigued
