Latest MLB power rankings show Mariners' way to top of American League

The Mariners have been on a roll lately, finally moving above .500 for the first time since the end of March. A six-game winning streak set them up nicely for last week, as they prepared to face two teams at the bottom of their respective divisions in the Mets and Tigers. However, what should have been another winning week turned into a disappointing 3-3 record, highlighted by somehow losing the series in Detroit.

It doesn't seem to have impacted the Mariners too much in FanSided's latest weekly power rankings though, with them being slotted in at No. 8. Further, there are only three AL teams ranked above them, in the Yankees, Guardians and Ray. Still, last week's .500 record should serve as a reminder for the M's to take nothing for granted.

The reality is it's been a frustrating season in Seattle, for a team which was predicted by many to claim their first world series berth. Now yes, the Mariners have suffered more than most with injuries to key players, including Cal Raleigh, Brendan Donovan, Matt Brash, Bryce Miller and now J.P. Crawford. However, the latest FanSided rankings serve both as a beacon of hope and the very real concern they may not fully grasp the opportunity which stands before them.

Of the three AL teams ranked ahead of the Mariners, only the Guardians aren't trending down. The Yankees have been going through it for a while now, and it's only been made worse with the news Aaron Judge is likely out until at least August. Meanwhile, the Ray might still have the best record in the AL, but they're lost 10 of their past 14 games.

Mariners primed for even more success in the AL when fully healthy

As for the Mariners, even allowing for the inexcusable series loss to the Tigers, they've been trending in the right direction since mid-May. The pitching has unsurprisingly been key, although the lineup has found more of a groove over the past month. What should be scary for the rest of the AL is that the M's have turned a corner without a full-strength roster.

In fact, if what we've seen is the Mariners' floor, then imagine how much better they're going to be once fully healthy? The reality is their ceiling then goes a lot higher, which only bodes well for the remainder of this season. Now throw in the proven narrative that the M's have been a second-half team in recent years, and suddenly those preseason predictions become more real again.

It helps that the AL is definitely there for the taking and reflected in FanSided's power rankings. And yet, as mentioned, you do worry the Mariners might find a way not to take advantage. Although this is largely colored by the franchise having a long and painful history of things going wrong, even when set up to go right.

However, we're going to focus on being as positive as the preseason predictions were surrounding this incarnation of the Mariners. They've been building up to this for the past few seasons now as one of the most consistent teams in the majors, with one of the best rotations in the majors and an excellent combination of stars with young talent. The path to the top of the AL is clear to see -- now it's time to go and claim it.

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