2 reasons the Mariners will make the playoffs and 2 reasons they won't

Reason #1 Mariners miss playoffs: The Twins & Tigers tiebreaker

On the flip side, and the much more likely side, we have the reasons that the Mariners wouldn't be able to make the playoffs. I mentioned tiebreakers earlier, and it's a good thing that the Mariners have the one against Houston, because they don't have it over the team they are closer to in the Minnesota Twins.

Seattle went 2-5 against them this year, and although you could do this with plenty of series throughout the year, there is an argument that a flipped record there would see these teams in flipped positions as well.

It's not just the Twins, either. Remember how we felt a bit excited that the Mariners were going to play six of nine against the Tigers, a team that was 53-60 at the time the Mariners went to play them? Well, the Mariners went 1-5 against them. Now, the Tigers sit 1.5 games ahead of the Mariners in the Wild Card as they both chase the Twins, and they don't have the tiebreaker with either team. So when you look at the standings, remember that the Mariners don't just have to catch those teams, they have to pass them as well.