Seattle Mariners: 4 reasons for making the playoffs and 4 against it.
Justus Sheffield, Seattle Mariners.
Reasons Why the Mariners Won’t Make the Playoffs
1. Running the gauntlet
The last ten days of the 2020 season for the Mariners include ten games against San Diego, Oakland, and Houston. This stretch will determine the outcome for the year. The Astros have dominated Seattle in the last few years, and they can only get healthier.
Oakland is as strong as anyone, and those meetings include two double-headers, which take a toll on pitchers. San Diego has become the national darling after acquiring Mike Clevinger and several strong arms for their bullpen to go along with one of the best young teams in baseball.
A 5-5 finish down this stretch would be impressive for Seattle. It will likely take a huge run before these ten games to cement a playoff spot.
FanGraphs still gives the Angels better playoff odds (7.0%) than the Mariners (6.4%). Mariners have the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the AL. The Angels, like the Astros, still have seven games against the Rangers. https://t.co/g9DLGs3qFt
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) September 8, 2020
2. Lack of frontline pitching
The MLB’s youngest team boasts a lot of great talent, but that doesn’t guarantee clutch performances. The Mariners will need to be playing at a playoff-level caliber through much of September. That will take a toll on their young pitching.
Rookie Seattle Mariners starters Justin Dunn, Justus Sheffield, and Nick Margevicius have been pitching great lately. However, in the MLB, it only takes a decent scouting report to turn a hot young pitcher into batter fodder. Teams will adjust to Seattle’s young pitchers the more they face them. That will make it very difficult for the M’s to finish this strong.
3. Lack of a reliable bullpen
Any semblance of a steady bullpen went out the window at the trade deadline. Even before GM Jerry DiPoto traded away Tyler Williams, Austin Adams, and Dan Altavilla, the Seattle Mariners were shorthanded. First, there are the season-ending injuries to Carl Edwards Jr., Matt Magill, and Tyler Guilbeau. Then several pitchers have been flat out ineffective at getting Major League hitters. In the end, Seattle has an inexperienced and outgunned relief staff.