Kyle Lewis, Seattle Mariners.
Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais.
It’s Labor Day Week, and the Seattle Mariners are in the hunt for a playoff spot. For those of you in shock, let me repeat: It’s September, and the Mariners are still playoff hopefuls! After Monday’s 9-4 win over Texas, the M’s have won six in a row, seven of ten, and 12 of their last 16 games.
It’s been over two weeks since Seattle last lost a series. When the sun rises on Tuesday, the Mariners will be only two-and-a-half games back of a Wild Card spot. In this odd season with only 60 games and expanded playoffs, a hot week and clean IL weigh a little heavier than any other year.
Here is why the Mariners will make the playoffs in 2020. After that, we have three reasons why they will be watching the playoffs from home.
It isn’t just that they are within three games of a playoff spot, but the Mariners are within three games of sixth place. If the Blue Jays, Astros, or Yankees struggle, the Seattle Mariners could find themselves playing in October. The M’s are at a point where they have something to play for once again, despite their current rebuild.
There are extra financial benefits of getting into the playoffs this year. It is a young team inundated with talent trying to prove they belong in the MLB. Further along in the rebuilding process, the Seattle Mariners enter an offseason where they need to establish themselves as a worthy destination for impact free agents. They want to avoid situations that force them to overpay for talent.
Players, coaches, and ownership will all be on board that playing at their top level now is more valuable than a higher draft pick next year.
Dylan Moore, Seattle Mariners.
The Astros came into this year needing some luck on the mound. However, with Justin Verlander likely out all year along with Yordan Alvarez and Roberto Osuna. Current injuries to Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman could be extremely detrimental to the team. The Yankees have a similarly damning injury report, and the Blue Jays just lost their hottest bat in Teoscar Hernandez indefinitely.
The Seattle Mariners, on the other hand, have strength in their depth. Despite trading away several pieces at the deadline, they have been able to add depth. Players such as Kyle Seager, J.P. Crawford, and Kyle Lewis are the headline makes, but the role players like Dylan Moore have been just as important.
Seattle currently has a large number of rookie players on its roster who can easily be replaced by the legions of talent in Tacoma. While several teams are running on fumes, the Mariners can maintain their current level of play and refuel from Tacoma when necessary.
This recent run has mainly come at the expense of non-playoff teams. The schedule continues with more games against teams like Arizona, and San Francisco, into mid-September. If the Mariners can continue their successful run against below .500 teams, they will situate themselves among the top eight in the AL. Also, the M’s can build some confidence for when the schedule gets more challenging.
However, perhaps none of this matters.
Justus Sheffield, Seattle Mariners.
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.
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.
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.
Marco Gonzales, Seattle Mariners.
At three games back with only 20 to go, the Mariners will have to be the ones to go on more than a winning streak. Seattle is the team in pursuit of the leaders. As the hunters, they have to do better than just equal some of the game’s powerhouse teams. They must be better.
At the end of the day, Houston and New York are too deep and experienced to fall apart entirely, this close to the finish line. Even in a 60-game season, the law of averages eventually catches up with every team.
The Yankees will turn things around. The Astros will tighten things up. With new trade acquisitions, Taijuan Walker and Ross Stripling on the mound, the Blue Jays will be much better as well.
Then there are two more upstart teams between the Mariners and a playoff spot. Baltimore is one game ahead, and Detroit is a half-game up. Those teams are also chasing long-awaited postseason opportunities.
This team isn’t the 1995 Mariners with established stars like Ken Griffey Jr. or Randy Johnson on the team. Marco Gonzales and Kyle Lewis are bright young stars, but they don’t yet have what it takes to carry Seattle back into the playoffs.
So what do you think? Can the Mariners make the playoffs this year? Let us know in the comments below or on social media.