Monday Morning Seattle Mariners State of the Race – 9/12/22

M’s fans, your Seattle Mariners are in the thick of the American League Playoff Race. Here’s an update on where they and their competition stand.

It’s been over two decades since the Seattle Mariners played postseason baseball. That drought is slowly creeping to an end. With four weeks left in the 2022 season, here’s an update on where the M’s are in relation to the other teams trying to take them down.

Houston locked up the American League West months ago. Reaching the postseason with a Wild Card spot is another story. That’s where we focus.s.

Seattle Mariners record after 140 games: 79-61 – .564 win percentage.

The Mariners a season-high 18 games over .500, and on a good run recently. Seattle is 20-7 since August 9.

Wild Card Standings

After Sunday’s roller coaster 9th inning Eugenio Suarez walk-off win, the M’s own the number two American League Wild Card position. They are .001 percentage points behind Tampa (78-60), and a half-game ahead of Toronto (78-61).

Baltimore (71-62) is almost out of the race at 5.5 games back. The O’s went 2-4 last week, including dropping 2 of 3 to Toronto Next is Chicago at 7.0 games behind. Their Wild Card hopes are on life support.

Playoff Format

Reaching the postseason is one thing. Doing it with an advantage is another. That’s because the playoff format changed with the addition of a third wild card team.

There are six possible entrants into the postseason for each league (with two leagues, that makes 12 total). This is the least of any of the major sports.

New to this season, the top two best records from division winners in each league get a bye for the first round. It’s a short bye, but it gives those teams a chance to set their starting rotation for the postseason.

The division winner with the worst record is automatically the third seed and will face the wild card team with the worst record. The other two wild card teams will also face off. Most importantly, the #3 and #4 (top wild card team) seeds host all games in the best of three series.

If the Playoffs started today, the Seattle Mariners would play their Wild Card Series in Tampa.

Seattle Mariners Week Ahead

September 13-14 vs. San Diego Padres

The Padres are in a dogfight with Philadelphia and Milwaukee to reach the playoffs. Two of the three teams will make it, the other can book a tee time. Even without suspended shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego is a dangerous offensive team.

It gets easier from here. After the two-game set with San Diego, every opponent left on the Mariners’ schedule has a sub-.500 record.

September 16-18 at Los Angeles Angels

Friday, the Seattle Mariners begin a 10-day, 10-game road trip in Los Angeles. It’s a lost season in Angels-land, so the M’s should win this series.

Contenders Week Ahead

Tampa: September 12-15 at Toronto; September 16-18 vs. Texas

Toronto: September 12-15 vs Tampa; September 16-18 vs. Baltimore.

Baltimore: September 13-14 at Washington; September 16-18 at Toronto.

Note* – Toronto could deliver a knockout to Baltimore’s playoff hopes, or the O’s climb into striking distance, but they need a sweep.

Chicago: September 13-14 vs. Colorado; September 16 at Cleveland; September 16-18 at Detroit.