Seattle Mariners and the rest of the AL west down the stretch
Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners.
Assessing the situations of the Seattle Mariners and the other AL West teams for the final third of the 2020 season.
Going into 2020 the Houston Astros had endured a brutal offseason dominated by their cheating scandal. The Los Angeles Angels added “Tony Two-Bags” Anthony Rendon to the generational talents they already had in Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Shohei Ohtani, yet continue to lose no matter how much money they spend. The Oakland A’s, on the other hand, continue to win no matter how little they spend. The Texas Rangers seemed pretty normal. However, they got caught up in a midseason debate about unwritten rules and came across as whiney. Meanwhile, the Seattle Mariners are on their way to a 19th straight season without the postseason.
The AL West is a bizarre place at times. To help you understand the state of the Mariners within the context of their most common opponents, here is a breakdown of where each AL West team stands headed into the final third of an unusual (to say the least) 2020 MLB season.
Seattle Mariners
This was supposed to be a development year for the Seattle Mariners. They had a chance to get some valuable major league at-bats or innings pitched for their young prospects. The loss of games this year has made the task significantly harder.
Before going on a recent six-game winning streak, the M’s struggled this year, with flashes of baseball worth getting excited about. Trader Jerry DiPoto seemed poised for a quiet trade deadline much like his team had last winter. However, the universe conspired against his restraint.
The Mariners weren’t trying to move staring catcher Austin Nola, but the Padres offered more than they could refuse. San Diego saw an opportunity and looked to add to their young and talented roster. Nobody around baseball seemed to be spending so DiPoto made the deal (actually two).
With Nola gone along with three solid bullpen pieces, the M’s seem further away from the playoffs even in 2021. Their deadline moves and lack of developmental games probably leave the Mariners out of position for playoffs in 2021. Seattle won’t tank. Earlier than anticipated however their young talent, such as Kyle Lewis and J.P. Crawford, is getting a baptism by fire.
Look for the Mariners to compete and bring in a couple of mid-level free agents this upcoming offseason. But the talent isn’t quite developed enough yet to compete for a playoff spot in a normal year or let alone this year.