2 ways the Mariners are built for the playoffs, and 2 they are not

In just a few days, the Mariners will kick off their first postseason series against either the Guardians or the Tigers. In the meantime, the players will get a chance at some much-needed rest while the team plans for what's hopefully a long October stay. The Mariners have the tools they need for a deep postseason run but which of their weaknesses could ultimately end up being their downfall?

The Mariners can get themselves into scoring position in multiple ways

In this day and age, it's not uncommon for teams to prefer strength in one area over having a more well-rounded approach to offense. It seems like franchises often depend far too much on the long ball to score their runs and the art of working a gutsy at-bat to get on base, laying down a bunt, or swiping a bag to get into scoring position are less prevalent than they were in years past.

This year, the Mariners haven't excelled in one area but in several, illustrating just how many different ways they can get guys over the plate. Notably, they were third in home runs (238) and in stolen bases (161) during the regular season.

Of course, Cal Raleigh is single-handedly responsible for more than a quarter of those home runs but Julio Rodríguez (32), Randy Arozarena (27), and Jorge Polanco (26) chipped in considerably as well. On the basepaths, both Randy and Julio stole more than 30 bags and Josh Naylor somehow stole 19 bases in just two months while also being a first baseman with bottom-of-the-barrel sprint speed.

Seattle was also ninth in walks (544), eighth in sacrifice bunts (24), and first in hit by pitches (89), meaning they'll do whatever it takes to get on base and move runners across. It's a team that plays with the hustle and urgency of an underdog, but with the talent of a real postseason contender.

Seattle's starting pitchers have some of the best endurance in the sport

It was a step down this year for the Mariners' rotation in terms of dominance, but their endurance remained elite. Seattle's starters combined for 885.2 innings of work, fourth in MLB. In the postseason, where bullpen management can be impossible, every extra inning thrown by a starter is one less reliever Dan Wilson will have to deploy. The team is yet to officially announce how they'll set up their rotation given Bryan Woo's recent injury news, but they have quite a few strong options.

The Mariners' bullpen is far from concerning, but more rest in between outings should increase the likelihood they're at their best every time they take the mound. To add even more length, Seattle has also experimented with having Emerson Hancock pitch in relief to positive results so far. With a bullpen unit composed of Andrés Muñoz (1.73 ERA), Eduard Bazardo (2.52 ERA), Gabe Speier (2.61 ERA), and Matt Brash (2.47), ensuring each of their arms are healthy and fully rested will be a key to success for the team's run prevention efforts.

Seattle's lineup has been prone to strikeouts this year

As a team, the Mariners struck out at a 23.3 clip this season, the seventh-highest in MLB. This average is skewed by bats in the lineup who punch out quite a bit like Eugenio Suárez (35.9 percent as a Mariner), Luke Raley (29.2), Mitch Garver (27.6), and Randy Arozarena (26.9). When faced with the possibility of seeing power pitchers like Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet, there's a chance Seattle will have a hard time getting anything going.

Of course, modern hitters have redefined how detrimental a strikeout actually is and many of the game's best sluggers have high strikeout rates. However, it just so happens that the players in Seattle that have been striking out the most are also the ones who have been struggling to find their offensive footing as of late. Arozarena in particular could make or break the team's offensive efforts, especially if Wilson continues to keep him in the leadoff spot.

The Mariners have not pitched well on the road at all

A month ago, the team went on a frightening skid as the result of a road trip gone wrong. A big reason they struggled to win games in that stretch was the starting pitching failing to perform in other ballparks. Of course, T-Mobile Park is still the most pitcher-friendly place to play but it's not the only one — other parks like Globe Life Field and Petco Park share similar qualities. But even when having the advantage elsewhere, the Mariners have struggled to be consistent. With a 3.28 ERA at home and a 4.50 ERA away, the vast majority of brutal outings by Seattle pitchers have been at other stadiums.

This may become a big problem in a postseason series where half of the games will be played on enemy territory. Hopefully this is a statistical coincidence and not a larger indictment on a real underlying flaw in the way Seattle's arms prepare for each game, but it could be a weakness opposing lineups are looking to exploit.