Only the worst collapses in MLB history offer hope for Mariners' 2026 season

Okay, well it's safe to say this past series versus the Athletics didn't exactly go as planned for the Mariners. Despite the four-game set representing the start of a season-ending stretch which was the easiest in the majors, the M's lost three and in the process fell 6.0 games back of both the division summit and final AL wild card spot. Things have gotten ugly and it's now at a stage where it will take a miracle of historical proportions for them to make the playoffs.

The Mariners might not actually be dead and buried yet, but it's pretty damn close. As of Monday morning, FanGraphs has their playoff odds at just 6.4 percent. The funny thing is these odds are actually sixth-best in the AL, which technically equates to being in that last playoff spot, but its hard to get too excited about a team with the fifth-worst record out of 15.

On the matter of their record, the Mariners are 67-77 and the harsh reality is that no team with 77 losses after 144 games has ever made the playoffs. Ever. However, we're going to try and offer some positivity while the M's are still mathematically alive, by reasoning that sneaking in from where they are in the standings isn't totally without precedent.

Mariners need an epic collapse by the Astros, but at least they've been in a similar position before

Sports Illustrated's Karl Rasnussen provided the spark for our admittedly irrational hope, by listing the 10 most devastating regular season collapses in Major League history. The 2007 Mets were listed at No. 1, due to blowing a 7.0-game lead with just 17 left to play. The 1964 Phillies were also high up the list, after giving up a 6.5-game lead with only 15 remaining.

However, we go closer to home to really find hope for the Mariners in the form of the 1995 season, when the Angels at one point in August were 8.5 games ahead of them in the standings. The lead was still 6.0 games with 15 left to play, before a Halos collapse opened the door for the M's to come back and ultimately win their first ever division title in a one-game tiebeaker, and in the process save baseball in Seattle.

Of course, as alluded to is the fact that even if the Astros (and Rangers) play along by putting some losing runs together, the M's also have to actually win some games. And by some, we mean a lot. We're talking something similar to just last year, when the Mariners won 10 straight games and 17 of 18, to win their first AL West title since 2001.

The point in all of this is that, yes, it can be done, but it's going to need something akin to a perfect storm for both divisional rivals to fall apart. And even then, it will still also take the Mariners getting their act together by actually seizing advantage of their easy schedule.

The question is: Do you believe in miracles, M's fans?

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow