Devastating Rangers injuries thin out Mariners' AL wild card competition

The Seattle Mariners just got a bit of breathing room in the American League Wild Card race, and it comes at the expense of a bitter division rival. The Texas Rangers’ push for October has been rocked by a pair of devastating injuries, as veteran right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has been sidelined with a rotator cuff strain and All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien shelved by a fractured metatarsal and lisfranc sprain in his left foot.

Semien is expected to sidelined 4–6 weeks, effectively ending his regular season, while Eovaldi is also likely done for the year. Unless Texas pulls off a miracle postseason run, the Rangers will be forced to finish the stretch drive without two of their most trusted veterans, pillars who have played important roles for the club since arriving in Arlington.

For the Mariners, it means one less team trying to chase them down.

Mariners see playoff odds climb as Texas loses Marcus Semien for season

As of August 26, Seattle controls the third Wild Card spot, clinging to a narrow lead while the Kansas City Royals lurk just 4.0 games back. Meanwhile, the Rangers sit 5.5 games out, teetering on the edge of irrelevance in both the AL West and Wild Card races. Without Semien, their chances of climbing back into contention shrink dramatically.

While the 34-year-old wasn’t putting up MVP numbers, he was still a key piece in the Rangers’ offense with 15 home runs, 62 RBIs, and a reliable presence in the infield. This injury all but ensures 2025 will be his first full season under 20 home runs since 2018 (not counting the 2020 pandemic season), back when he wore green and gold for the Athletics.

An equally, if not much larger gut punch for Texas is the loss of Eovaldi. The veteran right-hander has been the anchor of the Rangers’ staff, going 11–3 with a 1.73 ERA, 129 strikeouts in 130 innings, and a 3.8 WAR across 22 starts. Only Jacob deGrom, at 37, has logged more innings for Texas this year. At 35, Eovaldi was in the midst of his best season since 2021, when he finished fourth in Cy Young voting, and now the Rangers will have to navigate the final push without him.

For Seattle fans, this is a reminder of just how much can change in a short span. The Rangers were the team that stormed their way to a World Series title in 2023, but two years later, they look more like a cautionary tale than any kind of  juggernaut. The injuries, the inconsistency, and now the loss of Semien and Eovaldi, highlight how quickly windows can close.

Meanwhile, the Mariners are positioned to seize the opportunity. With the Houston Astros still on top of the AL West and the Royals surging, nothing is guaranteed. But Texas’s mounting injuries shifts the spotlight firmly onto Seattle’s ability to hold their ground in the standings. If the Mariners take care of business, this could be the crack in the door that allows them to slam it shut on a rival’s postseason hopes.

The road to October baseball is still a grind, but the Mariners may have just seen one of their most dangerous challengers bow out of the race.