The title of this article may be a bit hyperbolic, but let me explain myself. On a team with homegrown superstars who have magnetic personalities and incredible nicknames like “Big Dumper” and “J-Rod,” it would be quite the task to get fans to pivot from their favorite player.

However, when the Mariners brought back fan favorite Eugenio Suárez at the deadline, he was quickly upstaged by Josh Naylor—a player the clubhouse and fanbase fell in love with to such a degree that the front office had no choice but to bring him back. It certainly helped that he fit what the team needed skillset-wise perfectly, but it’s clear the Mariners are prioritizing clubhouse fit and leadership to a large extent when acquiring talent for this roster.

Their first—and only—significant outside free agent addition was described to me as “one of my favorite people in baseball” and “the best clubhouse guy around” by someone who has worked with him before. Rob Refsnyder even received a goodbye post from his former manager, Alex Cora—something that isn’t given to every player. His impact in the clubhouse has been repeated again and again, which means a lot, especially for a weak-side platoon bat.

Seattle’s newest trade acquisition isn’t likely to surpass the impact of Cal Raleigh on the clubhouse and fanbase, or outshine the burning star of charisma that is Julio Rodríguez. He isn’t likely to endear himself to fans at the level Josh Naylor did, or possess the flare of Randy Arozarena. However, Brendan Donovan is going to endear himself to his teammates and fans extremely quickly.

Donovan is was the most obvious perfect fit on the field for the Mariners. The team desperately needed a leadoff hitter to lengthen the lineup, putting Randy Arozarena back in a position to drive in runs. He is almost certainly going to see pitches to hit frequently while batting ahead of Cal and Julio, with a chance to match his career on-base percentage of .361.

The 29-year-old super-utility man will grind out an at-bat with the best of them, striking out at just a 13 percent clip last season while spraying line drives to all fields. While he isn’t a burner, Donovan runs the bases well. Even last season, he added baserunning value in the 66th percentile, all while dealing with a painful turf toe injury that led to a groin issue. He plays hurt, and he plays everywhere.

There is something special about a player who can play all over the diamond, which is another reason Seattle coveted him so highly. The ability to fill in wherever he’s needed is why fans loved Dylan Moore in Seattle, and as someone who exclusively played center field for most of my life, being able to play average-to-above-average defense across the diamond is extremely impressive. No matter what glove he has on that day, Donovan seems to be the model of offensive consistency, with a career 119 wRC+.

Donovan’s play style endears him to fans and teammates alike. His leadership and presence in the clubhouse were no doubt a huge part of Seattle’s interest in him. Here’s a quote from a player who shared a clubhouse with Donovan for the past few seasons:

“Mariners fans are getting a hardworking player who leads by example. He shows up every day looking to get better and make his teammates better. He’s a guy you know will have your back no matter what.

On the field, he doesn’t really seem to have any weaknesses. He plays every position at a high level and plays harder than almost everyone else out there. He’s a great player, and I think Mariners fans will really enjoy having him.”

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I spend most of my spring and summer traveling to ballparks across the state of Montana coaching high school baseball, so the leadership aspect of pulling a group of players in the right direction is constantly on my mind. It has been on my mind even more so the last eight months with the large leadership change that has taken place in the Mariners organization.

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Sometimes as baseball fans, we can get trapped in a world where numbers mean too much, and the people behind the numbers don’t mean enough. As I often say on my show, “Baseball is a really hard game.” It can be easy to forget that players are people who go through real-life struggles and that adjustments on the baseball field can’t happen overnight. 

One example of this is Mariners first baseman Ty France, who is back in the lineup after the birth of his first child with his wife, Maggie. 2023 was a tough year on the field for France, who saw his wRC+ drop by 21 percent to just 104. 

Years full of hand and wrist injuries due to hit-by-pitches had seemingly caught up to the 29-year-old first baseman who just hadn’t looked the same since suffering multiple bumps and bruises during the 2022 campaign. His wRC+ took a sharp nosedive in the second half of that season, and while Seattle made the postseason their first baseman struggled to contribute like he had for much of the previous two seasons. 

The struggles continued into 2023, and as the double plays, pop-ups, and lack of success piled up, France searched for answers. He would look like the Ty France of old again for glimpses of time but struggled to maintain the success with any consistency. 

Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times has said France wondered if he would be traded, or even non-tendered this offseason. Knowing he needed a change, he followed in the footsteps of his best friend JP Crawford, spending parts of the offseason in Kent, Washington training with Driveline. 

France wanted to improve his bat speed and hit the ball harder, attempting to get back to his old ways, or even take his game to a new level. However, this wouldn’t be easy, as the San Diego State product had never really needed a swing overhaul.

It wasn’t easy. The changes were foreign and took a while to see results, but as the offseason went along, France began adapting.

You can find out more about his training regimen at Driveline here.

A text I received about his offseason progress read: “He might just mess around and bang.”

Bang he has.

France’s wRC+ has shot up to 125 early in the season, and even though it’s early the progress is undeniable. His average exit velocity is up to 95.7 MPH from 87.5 in 2023, while his Hard Hit % is up 25 percent.

Those figures aren’t likely to hold over the course of a 162-game season, but the improvements are easy to see. France hasn’t even started elevating the ball whatsoever, mostly hitting sharp ground balls to begin the season. There is still plenty of room to improve here and he knows it.

Early season returns on his offseason work are positive, but the biggest development in his life was the birth of his first child last weekend. This post by his wife says it all.

These players are people first and foremost, and you never know what they are going through off the field.

For all he has been through, these first seven games look like the old Ty France once again. A return to form could make him the most pivotal hitter on the team not named Julio Rodríguez.

2024 is a huge year for Seattle’s first baseman, and adding a little dad strength won’t hurt.

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Given the restrictions Jerry and Co have with the payroll, what would you consider to be a successful remainder of the offseason?- William Lofton

Thanks for the question! The front office has been put in an extremely difficult, but not impossible spot. They have a very small needle to thread because of ownership’s reluctance to spend, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make this team a ton better.

At a baseline level, they need two everyday bats and one outfield platoon type. If they accomplish this and one of these three players can hit in the middle of the order, this is probably the baseline level of “success.” 

If they want to make this offseason an unequivocal success, it has to be two everyday bats that can immediately slot in the 3/4 hole of a lineup plus a right-handed platoon bat. 

For example, if the Mariners were to add Randy Arozarena, Jorge Soler, and Adam Duvall I would consider the winter an overwhelming success. If they were only able to add one of these players and a couple more “role player” types I would consider it the floor level of where they need to be by Opening Day. 

Is this Mariners offseason so far *truly* a disaster? Or is it getting overblown because the Mariners moved on from fan favorites to cut payroll and try to upgrade in other ways? -MarinersPainLove on X

This offseason has been ugly from a general perspective. Beginning with the press conference and then essentially having to strip your roster of several useful players to gain payroll flexibility is a bad look for the organization.

Seattle has been one of the most scrutinized teams in the league for this approach, and rightfully so.

With that being said the offseason is far from a disaster. They have plenty of talent on this roster, and if they do end up keeping the pitching staff intact it may be the best in baseball. The Mariners also have an up-the-middle trio many teams can only dream about. 

What they do from here on out will determine how we ultimately view this offseason. The order of these events matters and because of that the frustration from the fan base is understood. 

However, will people still be upset if they find a way to acquire two middle-of-the-order bats with 30+ home run potential? Time will tell, but the offseason isn’t a failure…. yet. 

Do you see Dipoto and Servais staying with the Mariners after this season if payroll continues to be a problem? Dipoto has already left an organization once because ownership and he were not on the same page. - Ryan Johnson

Thanks for the question, Ryan. It’s impossible to know the frustration levels of this front office, but one would have to assume they are high. The rug has been pulled out from under them in three of the last four offseasons.

Forcing your baseball people to make business decisions will always be malpractice. As you mentioned Dipoto has been through this before, and it wouldn’t shock me to see him move on. 

As for Scott Servais, I don’t necessarily believe the same thoughts apply. While he and Jerry are seemingly joined at the hip, Scott has been a terrific manager and may not want to move on unless another job he could theoretically obtain becomes available. It’s hard for me to see a situation where both are gone next season, but anything is possible. 

When do you think we’ll see Clase in the big leagues? (Assuming he doesn’t get traded)-Jace Beine

Thanks, Jace! For Jonatan Clase, I think there’s a chance he could see the big leagues this year. If he wants to be an everyday player, he needs to cut down on the strikeouts and improve his defense, but some of the physical tools are tantalizing.

Clase struck out 28 percent of the time at Double-A Arkansas last year but did walk at a 13 percent clip. If he can continue his very nice walk rates and manage his strikeouts enough he could be a really fun player and could make his debut sometime in the second half if the progress is apparent. 

With that being said I wouldn’t be surprised if Clase is dealt this offseason. His proximity and current stock make him among the most likely Mariners to be dealt this winter, but he is still just 21 years old so there is always the chance Seattle wants to hold on to him. 

What does it take to land Arozarena+Paredes/how likely is it?- MoFo_Moose

I truly don’t think they get both, if either of these players. At the beginning of the offseason, I got the sense they liked Arozarena better, but as the money situation has developed I believe they would prefer Paredes. 

It has been said that Seattle would prefer Paredes to play both corner infield positions as well as DH. Both Paredes and Arozarena are poor defenders, but the former is earlier in his control years and will be much cheaper.

At the end of the day, I don’t see them being able to get both unless Logan Gilbert is involved, a situation I cannot see unfolding this offseason. I think it is much more likely they either acquire one of the two or a completely different player while trying to add a player like Jorge Soler via free agency. 

Who is an OF that hasn’t been linked to the Ms publicly that could be on their way to Seattle (ex: not Randy, steer, cardinals guys)- Solobeeezy on X

From a free agency perspective, there truly isn’t much, especially with the budget restrictions. Jorge Soler and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. both make a ton of sense for Seattle on the open market, but their prices could end up being too high to be realistic. 

On the low end one guy that I think the Mariners have interest in is Adam Duvall. He is on the older side, but his skill set as an athletic right-handed hitter who can handle centerfield as a backup role would fit perfectly on this roster. He also handles right-handed pitching very well. 

In terms of trade fits, the options are endless. Max Kepler is a good fit but will be making a decent amount of money. Harold Ramirez from Tampa is another player who fits, but he should stay far away from having any sort of defensive outfield role. 

Bryan Reynolds, Anthony Santander, Austin Hays, Cedric Mullins, Mike Yasztrzemski, Seth Brown, and Lamonte Wade Jr. are other names to watch.

How are you liking this Mariners 40 man roster so far? And if not liking it, what needs to be addressed and upgraded? - MrEd315 on X

Thanks for the question, Mr. Ed. The 40-man roster is far from complete, but it isn’t as far away from contention as people think. They need to add two everyday bats, preferably three. The pitching staff is excellent and already very close to completion. I would like to see them add a depth arm and potentially a mid-rotation starter if they were to trade Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo for a bat.

The bullpen is complete unless they add an arm as a smaller piece of a bigger trade, or are forced to trade someone like Matt Brash for a bat they need. The place where Seattle has the greatest need to add is the outfield.

Letting Teoscar Hernández walk and trading Jarred Kelenic has left them with some large holes on both sides of Julio Rodríguez. Seattle could add three players to their outfield mix this winter, and two at the very least.

The market is finally taking shape after the Tyler Glasnow trade, and we should expect even more following Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s decision. With four open spots on the 40 man roster, we should see some movement from Seattle soon…

Shohei Ohtani’s free agency has been the talk of baseball for well over a year now, yet I haven’t written his name in a column or trade article as a possibility for the Mariners. I didn’t even include him in my free agent guide for this offseason, but it wasn’t for lack of interest.

Most of the clubs in major league baseball would do anything for the chance to lure the Japanese superstar to their market, especially coming off back-to-back seasons with over 9 fWAR. He is truly a talent like we have never seen before, and his impending free agency gives fans and front-office executives hope he could join their club this winter.

I have dismissed the possibility of Ohtani for most of 2023, but recently some things have changed. This match makes sense for both sides. I’m about to tell you why Shohei Ohtani could and should be a Seattle Mariner in 2024 and beyond.

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His 2022 campaign was a huge rebound for the Seattle third baseman, but 2023 was sometimes a struggle. His performance led to frustration from the fanbase and has sparked debate about whether he should be back next season. Let’s look at third base and what Seattle can do with the position moving forward.

Positives

Seattle didn’t quite get the 4.0 fWAR campaign they got in 2022 from Eugenio Suárez, but still got a very solid 3.2 fWAR from the hot corner. It was an interesting season for Suárez that could certainly leave Jerry Dipoto and the front office scratching their heads on what to do moving forward.

He finished with a 102 wRC+, a 29 point drop from his 2022 campaign. While that isn’t ideal, he still finished as an above-average hitter. Suárez still hit 22 home runs on the season and will be entering his age 33 season in 2024.

The main positive from the 2023 campaign was tremendous defense at the hot corner. A few weeks ago I wrote about the many reasons why I thought Suárez should be rewarded with a Gold Glove in 2023, which you can find here.

Suárez was highly regarded by Baseball Savant’s defensive metrics, ranking in the 97th percentile of OAA and the 90th percentile in Fielding Run Value. He ranked second among American League third basemen in Outs Above Average with 11, just two behind Kansas City’s Maikel Garcia.

This was probably the best defensive season I have seen at the hot corner for a Mariner, and I think there is a legitimate chance he should be rewarded with some hardware for his efforts. He was tremendously consistent with routine plays and showed up with highlight-reel efforts in big moments all season long.

Not only was his defensive play excellent, he was available for every single game. Posting for all 162 games was Geno’s goal going into the season, and his emotion in the postgame following the final game was really cool to see.

Negatives

Overall it was just a disappointing offensive season for Suárez. He is regarded as an excellent teammate and leader and was terrific defensively but ultimately the Mariners needed offense.

Geno’s 102 wRC+ combined with the 107 posted by Ty France was extremely disappointing and led to two big-time holes in the Seattle lineup. Both corner infield positions are spots where you really need power and offensive output, and Seattle was well below league average in this area.

The concern for Suárez moving forward is real. His bat speed dropped to the lowest it has been since he was in Detroit, something I wrote about with the help of Driveline’s Tanner Stokey.

His attack angle and bat speed dropped significantly in 2023, so Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander will have a big decision on him moving forward. I would welcome him back with open arms, but we will see what they decide to do.

Here is Stokey’s quote on Geno’s 2023. Make sure you catch my video analysis below!

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Mariners fans, it’s time to get a two or a three-screen setup in your living room because we have much scoreboard-watching to do. As for the team themselves, the approach remains the same; take it day by day.

Seattle experienced a rare comfortable win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night, winning 8-0 behind a barrage of homers from J.P. Crawford, Ty France, and Josh Rojas. While the game's result was about as good as you could ask for, America’s Team didn’t get much help.

The Astros defeated the Diamondbacks in a close one, meaning Arizona cannot clinch for another day. Chicago was defeated by Milwaukee thanks to old friend Carlos Santana, putting the Diamondbacks one win away from clinching.

Toronto throttled Tampa Bay, making it much more difficult for Seattle to catch up.

The multitude of scenarios by which the Mariners can make the postseason is shrinking by the day. The best one? Sweep the Texas Rangers and pray to the baseball gods for help.

While the Rangers have looked unbeatable in most of their head-to-head play this season, Seattle’s walk-off win last night seems to have jolted life back into this team.

The Bryan Woo start was undoubtedly the reg flag matchup of the series, especially due to the fact he would be squaring off with Nathan Eovaldi. Woo did his job by nibbling around the edges, and even though he threw just 3.2 innings of scoreless ball.

Ty France and Josh Rojas got Seattle on the board, challenging the marine layer with monster solo blasts. J.P. Crawford’s grand slam in the fifth inning put the game out of reach and also continued an incredible stretch for Seattle’s star shortstop.

What more can you say about Crawford? The grand slam pushed his batting average to .687 with the bases loaded this season and upped his season high in home runs to 19.

While it wasn’t always pretty, Woo doing his job and the offense finally showing up in a big way has set things up in the best way imaginable for the club.

This team is built on pitching and run prevention, plain and simple. Their two best pitchers will throw in each of the next two days, not to mention the fact that the bullpen will be at full strength for the final two contests. To make the situation even better, Texas hasn’t announced a starter for either of the next two games.

Winning tomorrow gives the Mariners a much cleaner path, but in all reality, the club needs to sweep to give themselves a solid chance. They have set themselves up to do so behind two of the best starters in the American League.

This team never makes it easy, but they have once again put themselves in a position to play October baseball.

All of us fans can focus on the scoreboard across the league, but the team just needs to take it one at-bat, one pitch, and one game at a time. GOMS.

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Well, that one stung.

The Mariners lost a heartbreaker that involved more bad luck, a benches-clearing incident, and an all too familiar feeling. Seattle struggled to cash in on big opportunities and didn’t pitch well enough to win.

They just aren’t playing playoff-caliber baseball right now in any facet of the game. The defense hasn’t been good enough, the offense can’t cash in on opportunities, and the pitching staff can’t stop putting them in a huge hold every night.

Despite all of this, the Seattle Mariners have a chance at the postseason. Here are the scenarios.

-If Seattle wins 4 games against Texas, Houston would need to lose one game against Arizona

-If Seattle wins 3 games against Texas, Houston would need to lose 2 games against Arizona

-If Seattle wins 1 game against Texas, Houston would need to lose 3 games to Arizona

-If Seattle gets swept they are eliminated

Obviously, none of those scenarios feel likely, and they shouldn’t be at this point. Seattle has played so poorly that they have put themselves in a really tough situation, one they have found themselves in during prior seasons. Looking for other teams to help you out is usually not a good strategy, and can leave you disappointed.

There are a few reasons for optimism for the Mariners, as hard as that is to believe.

Seattle will have their three best arms throwing in this series, starting with Logan Gilbert tomorrow. I very much believe we are set up to get good performances from all three starters, as they all seem due to get back on track.

Arizona has the pitching advantage in both of the first two games of the series, with Zac Gallen going Friday and Merrill Kelly going Saturday. The Diamondbacks will also need to win to preserve their playoff life. It is absolutely possible they could take 2/3 from Houston.

No matter what happens in the end, you have to win three out of four to give yourself a chance. Winning two essentially gets you eliminated, so Seattle needs their big three to show up.

Only one of the three Seattle starters appeared the last time these two teams squared off, giving them favorable pitching matchups throughout. I would also be in favor of the team making a roster move for someone like Prelander Berroa or Casey Sadler to replace Dominic Leone on the roster, giving them another pitcher with high-leverage capability.

The club needs their superstar centerfielder to play much better, as well as supporting cast members such as Teoscar Hernández. Texas has a starting rotation that is absolutely beatable, and a bullpen they should thrash. The at-bats have been good enough, we just need to see more timely hits.

Seattle needs to play better in every phase, but elite starting pitching can cure a lot. The fact that they have their horses lined up gives them a chance no matter what.

It ain’t over till it’s over, might as well just believe. GOMS.

This last weekend was devastating, there’s really no way around it. Losing three games to one of your direct competitors is a crucial, but not fatal blow to the club’s postseason chances.

Their chances would have been completely destroyed if not for the Kansas City Royals, one of the worst teams in baseball. The Royals swept the Astros over the weekend, breathing an ounce of life into Seattle’s bleak playoff hopes.

The Mariners have done themselves zero favors. They have played so poorly over the last three weeks that they now find themselves in a must-win situation every night for the entirety of this week.

To achieve their goals Seattle must go through the team that has repeatedly stomped on their hearts, the Houston Astros. Here are my three keys to the final seven games.

(Reminder: I will be recording after each game this week, so make sure you subscribe and upgrade if you haven’t already. All yearly and VIP subscribers will get a card, t-shirt, or both! Send in any questions you have for me and I will answer them throughout the week.)

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The Big Three

The biggest reason for the failures over the last few weeks has been the struggles of the Mariners rotation. This team is built on starting pitching and run prevention, but that has failed them recently.

Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby are the horses on this team and will be throwing in five of Seattle’s final seven contests. The Mariners need to win at least four of these starts, and probably all five if they want their season to continue.

Castillo has been the best of the bunch recently, and will likely finish top three in Cy Young voting at the season’s end. He has been everything they paid for, but we haven’t seen the ultra-dominant version of “La Piedra” recently. The Mariners could use a few big-time performances from their ace in the final seven contests.

Logan Gilbert has been mostly fine recently, with a 4.25 ERA in September. He pitched much better in August, however, posting a 2.97 ERA. Gilbert has put together just two quality starts in five September outings, so the Mariners are certainly going to need a better version of “Walter” in the final two series of the regular season.

George Kirby has had an extremely bizarre stretch of games recently. His comments after his Tampa Bay start reverberated around the baseball world, but his starts that followed have been even more strange.

He has pitched well in every outing but has seemingly been struck by bad luck in both of his last two outings. Home runs by Miguel Rojas and Brent Rooker on nearly unhittable pitches aren’t going to happen every outing. I have a feeling Kirby is due for a big-time start.

It’s not that any of the three have been bad recently, but Seattle is going to need each of the “big three” to be the best version of themselves to close the gap on a playoff spot.

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152 games down, 10 to go. One of the most special things about this sport we all love so much is that it literally can take all 162 games to figure out who deserves to play in October.

More often than not in the last 20 seasons the Seattle Mariners have ended up on the wrong side of the coin. They have fallen completely flat like in 2018, or just ran out of steam like in 2021. We have experienced the heartbreak of 2016, but also the elation of 2022.

Being a Seattle Mariners fan over the last 20-plus seasons has been a trying experience, but in a lot of ways, it parallels a 162-game season. We spend so much time freaking out about early-season struggles and the turbulence a 162-game season is bound to provide but sometimes forget the patience required to see things through.

This Mariners team has been an especially frustrating, but very fun team. They have dragged us along on another chaotically lovable season, and now find themselves in the midst of a very tightly contested playoff chase.

For many fans, this 10-game stretch could induce the bad feelings those old Mariners teams gave us, but these guys aren’t the “same old Mariners” any longer.

They have a legitimate MVP candidate and a 22-year-old superstar leading the charge, backed up by a Silver Slugger candidate at the shortstop position that also happens to be the captain and the engine of the team. Pair that with the league’s best young pitching staff led by a three-headed monster of right-handed dominance and you have a ballclub that can make some noise in October.

Enough of me talking, let’s get to your questions.

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How are you feeling about George Kirby's next two starts? Although this last start against the A's was better than his last three, it still wasn't great. Not striking guys out much and seems like he's still very frustrated. - MarinersJerseys on X

Thank you for your question Jerseys. To be completely honest I am not very worried about George Kirby. There are plenty of other things on this roster that do give me some worry, but Kirby is pretty far down the list.

In terms of importance, he is one of their most important players. George is a psycho on the mound, something I wrote about recently following his comments in the Tampa Bay series.

Kirby is a tireless worker and a fearsome competitor, so his emotions are going to be shown on the mound more often or not. Being in the clubhouse with George as well as press conferences, it is much easier to see his intensity and commitment to his craft.

I really thought George looked much more like himself in both of his last two starts, it really just comes down to some absurd luck making his line look a lot worse than it actually was.

In his start against Los Angeles Miguel Rojas hit a truly unbelievable blast that was at least 18 inches above the top of the zone. The bomb to left field was just his fifth home run of the season.

In his last start against Oakland, Kirby gave up a two-run bomb to Brent Rooker in the seventh inning. The pitch Rooker hit out was a four-seam fastball right above the top rail of the zone, another truly incredible piece of hitting.

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the hitter. While there are certain things he can improve on (getting more swings and misses), I have no doubt that George can make those adjustments.

We all probably have a heightened sense of awareness of Kirby’s performance after the Tampa comments, but he has consistently shown up in the big moments. I expect to see more of that down the stretch.

Which part of this team are you the most worried about down the stretch? - Casey

Thank you Casey. To be honest I don’t worry much about this team, and I have tried to stay positive on them for most of the year. The offense always has the potential to go dormant, the rotation could finally get stretched too thin, but if I had to choose a unit that worries me it is the bullpen.

I understand that the Mariners bullpen looks really good on paper for the third year in a row, but this feels like the worst unit they have had in the past three seasons by far.

They have two pitchers at the back end that can be true relief aces, some of the best arms in baseball. The issue is, that both players have been inconsistent and unreliable with their command most of the season.

Justin Topa and Gabe Speier have been very good all year, but neither is truly suited for a high-leverage role. Tayler Saucedo and Isaiah Campbell have been good, but seem to get lost in the shuffle all too often. Trent Thornton has been very good at times, but they haven’t overexposed him. Dominic Leone and Eduard Bazardo are wild cards, and likely shouldn’t be used in big games.

I haven’t agreed with much of what Seattle has done with the bullpen all season long. I think they have neglected many opportunities to raise the ceiling of this bullpen by adding Prelander Berroa, Riley O’Brien, and others to the active roster. They have instead opted to keep veteran depth and some players that I don’t think maximize the capabilities of this roster.

With that being said, I think this bullpen can still be a really good unit that can take this team deep into the playoffs. Andrés Muñoz and Matt Brash have been throwing the baseball as well as they have all season.

Justin Topa and Gabe Speier have gotten some much-needed rest, and have been throwing the ball well lately. I am looking for Bryce Miller and Logan Gilbert to both get through six innings to set up these 10 games well from a bullpen standpoint, but ultimately they will go as far as Brash and Muñoz can take them.

Who is the most important player down the stretch? - Brian

Thank you for your question! To me there is really no contest here, it is Julio Rodríguez. The 22-year-old superstar entered the phone booth during the All-Star break and come out with his Superman cape on in the second half.

Rodríguez has a 177 wRC+ in the second half and has put himself in a position to be in the top 3 of MVP voting at season’s end. He is the undeniable offensive leader of this team along with J.P. Crawford, and Seattle needs him to play well if they want to make it to October.

It isn’t fair to put that much on a 22-year-old kid, but Julio has to be a driving force down the stretch if the Mariners want to make a deep run. We are still awaiting news on his pinky, but I have a feeling he will be in the lineup no matter what the X-Rays reveal.

Is anyone else freaking out? The next 10 days will be nerve-racking. #SeaUsRise - On Edge Sports Cards

The next 10 days are absolutely supposed to get your heart rate up, get some adrenaline going, and give you butterflies in your stomach. This is essentially postseason baseball, which can have you on the edge of your seat for every pitch.

I would encourage each and every one of you to be appreciative of these last 10 games and just enjoy what we are watching. This is a super fun team that is headed in the right direction for years to come, and it is going to be so much fun watching them fight over the next two weeks.

Enjoy it ladies and gentlemen, and hold on tight. GOMS.

There’s a reason you play 162 games in the season. If you had started the playoffs in July, the Mariners would have been on the outside looking in. After a steep two-month climb, Seattle has put itself in a playoff spot.

Just 16 games remain in the 2023 campaign, but they haven’t clinched anything yet. A stretch starting with the Dodgers will finish with division rivals Houston and Texas. The Mariners hold onto a 1.5-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays, who will spend the entire rest of the season facing divisional opponents.

Because the season is so long, it is important to be clicking at the right time. So what needs to click for Seattle to secure a playoff spot and make a deep run in the postseason? Let’s take a look.

(Reminder! All MVP subscriptions come with a Sea Level T-Shirt and an autographed card from your choice of Dom Canzone, Cade Marlowe, or Matt Brash)!

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Stay hot, kid

Julio Rodriguez’s success in the second half has helped carry the Mariners to the position they find themselves in today. The 22-year-old superstar is hitting .352 with 17 home runs in the second half, to the tune of an otherworldly 189 wRC+ according to Fangraphs.

This second-half performance has catapulted Julio into the history books, becoming the 44th player in baseball history to post a 30 home run and 30 stolen base season. He has a chance to become the fourth Mariner in franchise history to win both a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger in the same season.

Superstars can be aircraft carriers for teams, and Seattle has a legitimate superstar in their 22-year-old centerfielder. This offense has been a bit anemic at times, so why not lean on the kid?

For months I have been hoping for either Eugenio Suárez or Ty France to get hot and take this offense to the next level, but at this point that probably isn’t going to happen. We certainly shouldn’t count on it, but what could certainly happen is Julio carrying this offense for two more weeks.

Seattle needs him to come up huge over these last two weeks if they want to hold on to their slim lead in the playoff race. Any sort of prolonged slump would severely hurt the team’s chances. While this isn’t fair, the team has put themselves in a tough position going down the stretch.

I have a feeling “The J-Rod Show” is up for the test.

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Pocket aces

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The Seattle Mariners lost another game in heartbreaking fashion on Monday night to the lowly Los Angeles Angels. The Angels, void of their two superstars clawed back in pesky fashion to defeat the Mariners 8-5 in yet another extra innings loss.

Seattle dropped out of a playoff spot for the first time in several weeks, sending tremors of doubt throughout the fan base as we approach the stretch run of the season. They really haven’t played particularly well in any aspect of the game, making it difficult to see where improvement is going to come from.

They haven’t pitched particularly well, as neither the starters nor the bullpen have been anything close to consistent. The offense isn’t nearly doing the job when they need to, despite the fact they continue to score runs. Hell, they squandered one of the best moments of the season AGAIN after Julio Rodríguez tied the game with a two-run blast to make him the 44th player in baseball history to join the 30/30 club.

So what are we supposed to do? The only thing we can do… believe.

A once somewhat corny slogan used by the 2021 Seattle Mariners was inspired by Manager Scott Servais and his love for Ted Lasso, a show I have quoted once or twice here at Sea Level.

This team has continually given us reasons to believe in them in each of the last three seasons.

2021 was a season mired in uninspiring performance until a group of plucky bullpen arms led one of the hardest charges in franchise history, resulting in a near miss of postseason baseball. They finished the season 90-72.

2022 was as disappointing of a first few months as one could possibly imagine. It wasn’t until a player who strictly goes by his first name burst onto the scene, along with a switch-hitting veteran that got every clutch hit imaginable. A 14-game win streak buoyed one of the best runs in franchise history, ending the drought with one swing of the bat.

The 2023 season has largely been a mix of the two seasons. They still have the resiliency, the fight, and the tenacity to get the job done.

It is perfectly reasonable to feel the doubts of the history of this franchise creeping in. They have been this fanbase to the test, toiling in mediocrity and underperformance for almost their entire existence.

But this isn’t the same old Seattle Mariners. They have a jaw-dropping superstar, an uber-consistent captain, and a rotation most organizations would kill for. This team wants it really bad, and we are right there with them.

As frustrating as they are, as annoyed as we can be with them, this team and this group of players are different. They just proved to us you could go from .500 to one of the best teams in baseball in the blink of an eye, so why doubt them now?

So yeah they have to play the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, and Los Angeles Dodgers as part of their finish to the season. But guess what? Those teams have to play the Seattle Mariners too.

Might as well just believe. GOMS.

“I wish I wasn’t out there for the seventh, to be honest,” Kirby said. “I was at [more than] 90 pitches. I didn’t think I needed to go anymore. But it is what it is.”

By now you have probably heard the comments made by Mariners All Star starting pitcher George Kirby, as they have been circulated as one of the most viral stories in the sport. Everybody has their own takes on the comment, so I thought I would chime in.

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George Kirby is a hell of a competitor, which has been on full display in every single start as a Seattle Mariner. In my time in the clubhouse, his interviews have typically been more intense than any player I have been around. He wants to succeed and wants to win at all costs.

One famous story that my mind always goes to is Kirby telling an umpire after a start in Peoria to, “Do your f—king job.” He’s a psychopath, just like most great competitors.

His postgame comments yesterday were unacceptable, and I would be willing to bet he knows that. He has every right to feel the way he did, but to express these feelings to the media is unacceptable. Manager Scott Servais will absolutely handle this and the two will move past it, but you cannot bypass your manager to express feelings to the media.

With that being said, George is just 25 years old. He is experiencing his first prolonged stretch of failure since establishing himself as a high-quality professional starting pitcher, a period of failure that has come at a crucial time for his team.

Kirby expressed his remorse about the remarks today to the media, saying that he “screwed up” and had already apologized to Servais.

“Obviously I screwed up. That’s not me. Skip has always got to pry that ball out of my hands. Just super uncharacteristic of me as a player and who I am out on that mound. I love competing. Like I said, I just screwed up.”

No matter how you feel about these comments, here are the facts. The Seattle Mariners have a 25-year-old Cy Young candidate and they are lucky to have him. He shut out the Orioles just a month ago. He went toe to toe with the vaunted Houston Astros in the first playoff game in Seattle in 20 years and stared down Jose Altuve.

His comments showed youth and inexperience, but his performance in just two years has been beyond his years. Kirby is a star in the making, and at this point, we have WAY more evidence that shows us he is a fierce competitor than the opposite.

The Seattle Mariners are in the heat of a playoff race and simply don’t have time to worry about things like this. It’s time to start stacking victories and winning baseball games, bringing playoff baseball to the Pacific Northwest for the second year in a row.

In a few weeks if and when George Kirby dominates to help elevate the Mariners into the postseason, you won’t care what he said in Tampa. Enjoy this team, enjoy these players, and enjoy this run.

As I scrolled through the comments berating Kirby, I thought of a quote from my favorite show, as I often do. It feels pretty applicable here. GOMS.

“I hope that either all of us, or none of us, are judged by the actions of our weakest moments. But rather, by the strength we show when, and if, we're ever given a second chance.” - Ted Lasso

Manager Scott Servais wanted to keep the veteran third baseman on the pine on Tuesday evening, nearly crushing Suarez’s goal of appearing in every game. He later appeared in the content as a defensive replacement and took a questionable 3-0 hack at a pitch off the plate.

Suárez has been the embodiment of a glue guy over the past two seasons in Seattle, which is even more impressive when things aren’t going great. His “Vibes” have remained high even in a frustrating offensive season that has seen his wRC+ drop 28 points from 2022.

Geno isn’t hitting for the same type of power he did last season, and is striking out over 30 percent of the time. A high strikeout rate is perfectly fine for a player who is going to do damage at the plate, but Suárez is slugging just .383 on the season.

For most players, these struggles could cause them to feel sorry for themselves or let other areas of their game suffer, but for Eugenio Suárez this hasn’t been the case. He should be the Gold Glove award winner in the American League, no questions asked.

Ramón Urías of the Orioles took home the award in 2022 and was worth 7 OAA according to Baseball Savant. He has been poor this year according to the metric, while Suárez has been excellent.

The Venezuelan has been worth 7 OAA and ranks in the 92nd percentile in baseball defensively. He ranks second among all AL third basemen in their defensive rankings, behind Maikel Garcia of the Royals.

Geno is the bigger name of the two players, which shouldn’t matter but it always tends to prop up Gold Glove candidates. While fans have soured on Suarez as an offensive player, and rightfully so in a lot of ways, his defense needs to be appreciated.

I don’t know how many of us truly appreciate the consistency we have seen on a day in and day out basis at third base in a Mariners uniform, even dating back to Kyle Seager.

Suarez has been the model of consistency, reliability, and impact at the hot corner. He has made incredible web gems while also being as sure handed as it gets (just 7 errors). I have personally seen a lot of the work he has put in day after day with Perry Hill to be an impact defensive player, and to do this every single day deserves recognition.

Everytime they have needed a big out he has been there. Give Geno the damn Gold Glove. GOMS.

Just a few weeks ago I promised you guys I would write more about Julio Rodríguez, and it may be needed today on the heels of Seattle’s third loss in four games. There is still plenty to be optimistic about, especially the award candidacy of their center fielder.

Just a few days ago Rodríguez was named the AL Player of the Month for August, the first time he has won the award in his short major league career. The kid has broken plenty of records this year not just for the Mariners, but in the game's history.

With his opposite-field blast yesterday, “J-Rod” became the first player in baseball history to have 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in his first two seasons. According to Mariners PR, he is also the first player in baseball history to have 10 homers, 10 stolen bases, and 100 total bases over a 30-game span. These are video game numbers, and oh by the way he is just 22 years old.

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Rodríguez should be an option for the American League Silver Slugger and the front-runner for the Gold Glove. Let’s start with his offense.

The 22-year-old centerfielder has put up a .284/.342/.485 season thus far, good enough for a 129 wRC+ and a .827 OPS. While his production is not quite as strong as last season, the last month has rocketed Julio into contention for the American League Silver Slugger.

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The Seattle Mariners lost a series, a feeling that felt very foreign after a month plus of absolute dominance. Fans certainly feel the angst and pressure of the final month, but there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic. Here are my four takeaways from the series against the New York Mets.

Bullpen ceilings

Okay, let’s talk about this bullpen. The common narrative from fans and media is that this bullpen is elite, and to some extent this is accurate. Seattle has the second-best bullpen ERA in all of baseball, even after trading Paul Sewald at the deadline.

Even though I promised myself I wouldn’t doubt Jerry Dipoto’s ability to build a bullpen, I am not totally sold on this group. While there aren’t really any glaring holes on this team, I certainly think they can still improve.

Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz are going to be the leverage guys, and nothing about that should change. While you don’t always feel great about them right now, they have elite stuff and are good high-leverage options.

Gabe Speier and Justin Topa are in the next tier, although you could make a case that Topa is the best reliever on this team. Both players have strengths that they maximize very well and have been matchup nightmares for opponents.

Tayler Saucedo is probably right on the fringe of the Topa/Speier group but has faltered a little bit recently. Overall he has been very good for most of the season and has certainly earned a place on this roster.

Isaiah Campbell has looked better recently with his command and the sharpness of his stuff but certainly isn’t a high-leverage option. Campbell is a solid middle reliever, which is absolutely useful.

The rest of the group includes Trent Thornton, Dominic Leone, and Luke Weaver. Among this group, Weaver has a clear role on this team. He is the guy who can give this team a spot start or length in a game where the starter falters. As for Leone and Thornton, I believe this team could and should try to upgrade.

I have long been outspoken that this team is at least one leverage arm short, probably two. It would benefit them to try searching for a better leverage option, and they do have several down in the minor leagues.

Riley O’Brien, Prelander Berroa, Ryder Ryan, and Casey Sadler all have the ability to make this team better. Seattle should be searching for some leverage options, and although Thornton and Leone have a chance to be average middle relievers I believe they need to explore other options to raise the ceiling.

He’s in the Can-Zone

Chills, Jerry Dipoto has done it again. In a much-maligned move, Jerry Dipoto traded his best reliever at the deadline for three hitters from the Arizona Diamondbacks. The headliner to many who are involved in prospect circles was left-handed outfielder Dominic Canzone.

Canzone owns a 98 wRC+ in a Mariner uniform, which is essentially league average. Even though this isn’t sexy, Canzone has posted a 119 wRC+ since August 11. His home run off the windows of the Hit It Here Cafe at T Mobile Park was a turning point in his season, and his performance against the Mets was certainly impressive.

I would continue to expect Canzone to get better, and his Baseball Savant page is absolutely eye-popping. Seattle has found a dude in the Paul Sewald trade, and he is making a huge difference in the length of this lineup.

More production from the corners

Seattle needs more production from their corner infielders, plain and simple. Obviously, Ty France got hit in the elbow by a fastball on Saturday night and may be headed for the IL, but the production from the corners has been very disappointing.

France looked as if he was heating up in early August, but things have tailed off in a big way. He isn’t driving the ball whatsoever, and his hard-hit rates and power numbers continue to be concerning. An IL stint isn’t ideal, but Seattle will need Mike Ford to produce in his absence.

Eugenio Suárez has been as good as it gets defensively in 2023. His value has mostly been held in his defense and his availability (he has played in every game in 2023). Suárez needs to hit if this team wants to hit their ceiling. His slugging percentage is well below league average for the position, and his wRC+ has dropped 27 points from his 2022 mark.

Seattle can’t rely on Teoscar Hernández and Julio Rodríguez to be as hot as they were in August and needs the veteran corner infielders to step up. I expect one of the two to pick it up down the stretch for the Mariners.

They are getting help

For the most part, Seattle is getting help from around the league. Toronto has been mediocre recently, and the Rangers have played poorly for roughly a month now. Even when Seattle has lost they have received help from the likes of the Colorado Rockies, New York Yankees, and Minnesota Twins.

Seattle still holds first place as of Sunday night, and they will continue to need help throughout the month of September. Seattle’s schedule is going to get much more difficult, and they will need some scrappy teams to win some games against the teams in the race to October.

As he toes the rubber tonight for the Mariners, “La Piedra” is pitching for more than just a playoff birth for the hottest team in baseball. His excellence has put him right in the thick of the Cy Young conversation, but could he win it?

Betting odds suggest Castillo has more than a puncher's chance here, placing him second in the American League. According to DraftKings, Castillo is +230 to win the award, behind New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole at -250. Cole is still a sizeable favorite, but at this point in the season, the sportsbooks have narrowed the field to a two-horse race.

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Interestingly enough, Fangraphs WAR rankings tell a different story than the odds suggest. The platform has Castillo ranking eighth in the American League in starting pitcher fWAR, with Cole ranking in sixth. Teammate George Kirby is actually fourth in the metric.

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Every once in a while a player comes along that is so extraordinary that they reset the expectations and calculations of what is possible in the sport they play in. Shohei Ohtani has done this in a significant way this year in Anaheim.

The issue with our society is that we get bored with greatness. Sometimes we even try to tear it down, poking holes in the abilities of real-life superheroes. Most of the time it just comes down to appreciation, and not taking those exceptional individuals for granted.

I am guilty of this as well. I haven’t written about him positively nearly enough this year. Let’s do it. Here’s to Julio Rodríguez.

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On Saturday afternoon, Seattle’s superstar became the fastest Mariner in club history to 50 home runs, surpassing Alex Rodriguez’s mark. Julio did it in 256 games, while A-Rod did it in 269.

Yesterday afternoon he became only the second Mariner ever with 40 hits and 10 stolen bases in a calendar month according to ESPN Stats and Info. He joins Seattle Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki as the only other player to do so.

Just over a week ago the 22-year-old set a Major League Baseball record with 17 hits over a four-game span. Utterly ridiculous.

Rodríguez and hitting coach Jarret DeHart made an adjustment in his setup at the plate, widening his stance and freeing up his hands a little bit. This change has helped him simplify his timing and get the ball in the air more often, creating one of the greatest hot streaks we have ever seen.

His offensive season has gone under much scrutiny until his August breakout. His 215 wRC+ in the month of August has moved his season mark to 126 according to Fangraphs. This mark still ranks below the 145 he posted last season.

The Dominican outfielder struggled mightily with strikeouts early in the season, and more and more fans brought attention to his struggles. Offensive frustrations were all too often pointed at the 22 year old, a ridiculous burden to bare.

One of the main criticisms was his lack of “clutch” hits. This ridiculous falsity has been dispelled, as Rodríguez owns a .317 batting average and a .920 OPS with RISP. These numbers are even greater with runners in scoring position and two outs.

Oh yeah, he also has 35 stolen bases.

His traditional offensive numbers are on pace to be nearly identical to last season, and if he keeps trending in the same direction he will smash his 2022 numbers. Hitting the ball in the air more often to the pull side has been one of the most tangible adjustments, and one that I wrote about often earlier in the year.

In addition to his offensive prowess, the 22 year old centerfielder has been a super hero on defense. He ranks in the 99th percentile of Baseball Savant’s Outs Above Average, potentially setting him up for his first career Gold Glove.

His defensive season has been the most fun season to watch by a Mariner outfielder since Franklin Gutiérrez and Mike Cameron roamed centerfield. Julio is simply must watch TV.

His ranks amongst the rest of the league in nearly every quantifiable category are absolutely silly.

In addition to his numbers and on field play, his personality continues to make him one of the most lovable characters in sports. Rodríguez plays the game with a childlike joy and a genuine love of baseball.

He is the heartbeat and energizer of this team along with players like Eugenio Suárez and J.P. Crawford. The kid brings a smile and a passion to the game that makes it difficult not to think of Ken Griffey Jr.

Much like Junior, Julio has captured the hearts of the entire Pacific Northwest. Not only has he captured the region, he is becoming one of the faces of baseball, period.

It is easy to take for granted what we are watching, or to criticize when he doesn’t come through in every single big moment. All I ask is that we each try to take a step back and consider how lucky we are. We are witnessing greatness from an extraordinary individual, an individual that LOVES being a Seattle Mariner.

That greatness has aided the Seattle Mariners into first place on August 28. They have not been alone in first place this late in a season since 2003.

As Dave Sims once said, “What a world to live in with Julio Rodríguez!”

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The year was 1995 and the Seattle Mariners were in the midst of a 19 year playoff drought, one that had spanned the length of their entire existence in major league baseball. It was also the first year of the Wild Card, giving more hope to teams that didn’t win their division.

As the stretch run came all the talk in the city and around the Mariners became the Wild Card, and what it could mean for their playoff chances. They even hung up a sign updated daily at the Kingdome showing who was leading the race. After all, they were 12 1/2 games behind the California Angels on August 21.

One person wasn’t very thrilled with Seattle’s acceptance of second place. Outfielder Jay Buhner walked into the clubhouse and uttered the famous words….

“You know what? Forget the Wild Card. We’re going to win the division.”

1995 was one of the most magical and iconic seasons in Seattle sports history, saving the game of baseball in the city. On July 24, 2023, the Seattle Mariners found themselves toiling away at 50-50, 8.5 games out of first place.

Last night old friend Paul Sewald closed the door on a save against the Texas Rangers, shrinking their lead to just one game over Houston and Seattle. It’s starting to feel a lot like 1995.

It hasn’t been an easy road. For much of the first half of the season, the Mariners struggled, seemingly glued to the .500 mark. Despite their pitching excellence, the offense remained lifeless.

AJ Pollock, Kolten Wong, and other veteran hitters looked like shells of their former selves. Ty France and Eugenio Suárez were hit with regression. Julio Rodríguez and Teoscar Hernández struggled with swing and miss. J.P. Crawford felt like their only offense at times, not a good place to be for a team with World Series aspirations.

The bell of the ball was the Texas Rangers, even amongst rightfully jealous Mariners fans who dreamt of a higher payroll. It wasn’t clear if this team could recover, and this became even more doubtful as the trade deadline came and went.

Seattle only dealt away closer and bullpen heartbeat Paul Sewald for three fringe major leaguers, at least in terms of prior experience. The front office was vilified for not picking a direction, more specifically not giving this team more offensive support.

Since that controversial deadline move your Seattle Mariners are 17-4. Hernández and Rodríguez are the two hottest hitters in baseball. The island of misfit toys that is the Mariners bullpen has stabilized and thoroughly dominated.

Cade Marlowe has come out of nowhere to replace Jarred Kelenic and more. The deadline acquisitions of Canzone and Rojas have been brilliant, and seemingly only going to get better. The starting rotation is as dominant as any in baseball.

This team is different right now, and they have the whole baseball world on notice. Hell, they swept the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

36 games remain, and it is only going to get harder. After the finale with the White Sox, Seattle heads home to square off with the last-place Royals and Athletics. The Mets and Reds follow, before a slew of first-place teams and direct competitors.

They have clawed, scratched, and fought their way back. It’s almost like day one of the season, with a 36-game dead sprint to the finish line.

While the Mariners would love to win the division they know getting in the dance is the most important thing. Look at last year’s Phillies or the 2021 Atlanta Braves. Get to October and see what happens.

For now, let’s just continue to enjoy the ride. Two months ago none of us really could have seen this coming.

Watch out Texas, objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.

Seattle has one clear route to the postseason and a few other less obvious paths. Today I will break down their conceivable routes to the playoffs, and the teams they would need to pass. 

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Toronto Blue Jays

The most obvious team Seattle could pass is the one they are closest to. Toronto is 67-55 and 5-5 in their last 10 games and currently holds the third Wild Card spot. 

With the Mariners firmly in their rearview mirror, it could be easy for the Blue Jays to feel the pressure of being chased. Toronto has a relatively easy path remaining, very similar to the one ahead of the Mariners. 

The Blue Jays will face the Reds this weekend, followed by Baltimore. This tough stretch eases up significantly, with Cleveland, Oakland, Colorado, and Kansas City all in a row. 

If Seattle takes care of business in their generous part of the schedule they should have a chance to be neck and neck with Toronto the rest of the way. Toronto’s starting pitching is very good, and their offense isn’t as potent as many would lead you to believe.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays are the team currently in the playoff picture that not many believe could fall out of the playoff picture. After a 13-0 start, the Rays have played close to .500 and recently lost their first-place spot to the Baltimore Orioles.

Tampa has lost Wander Franco, Shane Shane McClanahan, and many more starting pitchers through the course of the season. Franco and McClanahan may be their two best players, and the dark cloud of the Franco investigation could be a distraction.

To add to all of this, the Rays schedule isn’t a cupcake. They play strictly contenders in September, including the Mariners and the Orioles. Tampa is six games ahead of the Mariners and currently sits in the number one Wild Card slot.

Houston Astros

The good news? The big bad Houston Astros are just 3.5 games ahead of Seattle. The bad news? Jose Altuve and Yordan Álvarez are back.

The vaunted Astros are playing their best ball of the season and are healthy, getting terrific production from guys like J.P. France and Yainier Diaz. With just a month left of play anything could happen, but it certainly seems like Houston is gunning for another division win.

Seattle has a chance to make a dent in their division hopes this weekend, but ultimately I would be very surprised if Houston didn’t win the West.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers have led the AL West for the majority of the season, but as of late Seattle and Houston have cut the gap. Texas has a 5.5-game lead over Seattle but just a two-game lead over Houston.

Their starting pitching has been excellent all season behind an excellent offense. Their deadline efforts have vaulted them into a World Series contender, but that doesn’t mean the Mariners can’t catch up.

The two teams will play head-to-head in September, and the Rangers remaining schedule includes a lot of winning teams. If Seattle continues to play well, neither the Rangers nor the Astros are out of reach.