The Seattle Mariners enter play on Wednesday at 64-63 on the season. With that record, they are 5.0 games back of the red-hot Houston Astros in the American League West and 6.5 games back of both the Kansas City Royals and the Minnesota Twins in the wild card.

The offense has been the worst in baseball in many metrics, and the bullpen has faltered at all the wrong times, which has contributed to the M’s two-month collapse. However, the starting pitching has remained the best in baseball. The group, led by Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and George Kirby, is on track to make baseball history not seen in the last 24 years.

Per Ken Rosenthal of ‘The Athletic:’

Entering Tuesday, the Mariners’ major-league best 3.26 rotation ERA was 0.20 runs per nine innings better than that of the next-closest team, the Philadelphia Phillies. That difference, if it holds, would be the sixth largest between the first- and second-place finishers since 2000, according to STATS Perform.

Bryce Miller gave up two runs over 4.0 innings on Tuesday, so the rotation ERA rose slightly, but Rosenthal’s point still stands. Emerson Hancock has also contributed greatly to that statistic, as he’s posted a 4.76 ERA in nine starts this year. He’s filled in for Woo, who has had two separate stints on the injured list.

The Mariners will be back in action on Wednesday night looking to finish out a hellish road trip with a win. They’ve gone 1-7 thus far through Detroit, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

First pitch against the Dodgers is 7:10 p.m. PT on Wednesday.

NEW PODCAST IS OUT: The latest episode of the “Refuse to Lose” podcast is out as Brady Farkas just talks from the heart about how tough this road trip has been and why this Mariners disappointment hurts just as much or more as all the others. CLICK HERE:

NO OFFENSE: The Mariners offense is on pace to be the worst of the Divisional Era. CLICK HERE for more:

SETBACK FOR FORMER M’s FAN FAVORITE: Penn Murfee is now with the Houston Astros, but he’s not ready to get back to the majors yet after undergoing Tommy John surgery with the Mariners. CLICK HERE:

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on “X” @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the “Refuse to Lose” podcast by clicking HERE: