3 moments that may have cost the Mariners a chance at the 2024 postseason

Julio Rodriguez with a costly baserunning mistake

While the entirety of the 2024 season will be focused on the Mariners dominance on the mound and the absolutely putrid performance from an offense that couldn't live up to expectations, the team still had every opportunity in the final weeks to stake their claim atop the AL West. Yet, mental mistakes will highlight a team that is in desperate need of some veteran leadership. This team is just too young and inexperienced in big time games and could use more battle-tested guys, like Justin Turner.

That youth and inexperience was on full display in a pivotal series against the New York Yankees last week. Robles, who was a large part of the Nationals 2019 World Series team, has struggled to stick as a regular contributor despite his surge with the M's in 2024. He made a big baserunning mistake in the first game of this series that exemplified this team's biggest weakness.

However, it was no comparison to Julio Rodriguez's laughable and infuriating, baserunning blunder. In extra innings, a Cal Raleigh leadoff single with Rodriguez on second base set the Mariners up with a key chance to at least tie the game. With Arozarena up and runners on the corners, the veteran struck out swinging and the bat flew out of his hands, in the direction of Rodriguez, who was taking a lead off third base. The errant lumber sent the former Rookie of the Year strolling towards the Yankees dugout as he avoided the bat, and it immediately drew the attention of Jazz Chisolm Jr. and catcher Austin Wells.

Wells fired the ball down to Chisholm, who called for it when he saw Rodriguez asleep at the wheel. The Yankees applied the tag, and just like that, the Mariners went from runners on the corners with nobody out to a runner on first with two outs. The lost by one.