Seattle Mariners playoff hopes with five games to go
Joe Swenson
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With five games left in a surprising Seattle Mariners season, here’s what needs to happen for them to reach the playoffs.
157 games played, and the Seattle Mariners playoff hopes are still alive. Who would’ve thought this? They have such a good chance to make the playoffs, but it’s hardly a guarantee. Winning the rest of the games (5) will definitely help, but they will need some help over the next week.
The Numbers
Mathematically, getting to 90 wins helps, 91 more than helps, and 92 should mean, at worst, a one-game playoff against either the Yankees, Blue Jays, or Red Sox. They sit 1.5 games out of the last wild card spot (Red Sox), 2.5 games behind the 2nd wild card spot (Yankees), and 4.5 games behind the Astros, meaning that the Mariners are barely alive for the division.
Mariners – 5 Games Remaining vs. Oakland (2) and Los Angeles Angels (3)
Tuesday, September 28th
Tyler Anderson vs. Chris Bassitt – Anderson is pitching on two days’ rest with the idea that he’ll have a short leash and then possibly move to Matt Brash. Brash was promoted from Double-A Arkansas on Friday but has yet to enter an MLB game. He has a 100 MPH fastball and a wipeout slider, and that combination struck out nearly 150 batters in almost 100 innings.
The M’s carry a ten-game win streak against the A’s. This isn’t the must-win game, though. If they were to lose this game, it would be okay. At that point, Seattle would need to win out, but the rotation is set up for that. Using him Tuesday gets Anderson out of the rotation for the Angels, who lit him up on Saturday.
Wednesday, September 29th
Frankie Montas vs. Logan Gilbert – Gilbert threw well against the Angels but then ran into trouble in the sixth inning. In three games against the A’s he has three no-decisions and nearly a 5 ERA. Montas is slightly worse at 0-1 in 2 starts and a 5.25 ERA. The M’s need to win this game, and Gilbert is likely to have a short leash with an off day on Thursday to rest the bullpen.
The Final Weekend
The M’s will likely need to sweep (see below to confirm that information) the Angels. We know that Marco Gonzales and Chris Flexen will throw this weekend. The bigger question is, who toes the rubber on Friday?
With Tyler Anderson going on Tuesday and taking Yusei Kikuchi’s place, does Servais turn to Kikuchi on extended rest? He pitches significantly better on six or more days rest vs. regular rest. The bigger problem is Kikuchi has been atrocious against the Angels, where he’s had some success against the A’s.
No matter who pitches, the offense needs to keep rolling, and the bullpen needs to be ready to protect any lead from anywhere in the game.