Aug 23, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson (6) stands in the dugout before a game against the Athletics at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Mariners' Dan Wilson Has Blunt Response To Heated AL West Race

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 2:30 PM ET

The American League West has been a race between the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners for most of the season, as the Texas Rangers haven't quite been on the same level as the top two teams. The Athletics put together a solid run early in the season, but they didn't have the pitching to make the race competitive. They're a team to watch in the future, though. Despite spending money in the offseason, the Los Angeles Angels fell flat for most of the year, leaving the division race to be between the Astros and Mariners.

The Astros, despite losing Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker in the offseason, led the division for most of the season, but over the last few weeks, the Mariners have been on a tear. The Mariners have closed the gap on the Astros, as both teams sit tied atop the division with a record of 84-69. There are nine games remaining, but the two teams play each other in a three-game set beginning on Friday night in Houston.

Game on: Mariners-Astros AL West race coming down to the wire

“This is going to be fun,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said after Thursday’s win. “To get some momentum today is big. We’ve got to be prepared, and we will be. This is why you play. It’s exciting. So I think everybody in (the clubhouse) is ready to go. Now it’s game on in Houston.”

At this point in the year, nothing else matters. The 153 previous games don't mean anything. It's a nine-game sprint between the two clubs, with the division going to whichever team comes out of this sprint with a better record.

While it's not guaranteed, the winner of this three-game set will have a leg up on the division. They'll control their own destiny down the stretch.

The Mariners will need Cal Raleigh, Eugenio Suárez, and Julio Rodriguez to step up in a huge way these next two weeks. The pitching staff needs to dominate. And it all begins with Bryan Woo against Hunter Brown in Houston on Friday.

More MLB: Ex-Marlins Pitcher Emerging as 'Breakout' Ace Since Trade to Orioles

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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