3 storylines to watch over the last month of the season

#1: The September roster expansion

When the calendar ticks over to September 1st, rosters expand a bit going from 26 to 28. While it may not seem like a big deal, teams are able to use this to take pressure off of their rotation, get the young guys some pro experience, or even get a vet who otherwise has nowhere to go out of the lineup and onto the bench.

It's that final option that I think the Mariners are going to take advantage of. At least, that's what I hope that they are going to look to do. We've talked a lot about the Mitches and their struggles this year. While Haniger is actually doing well when he gets put into the DH role, Garver has been nigh unplayable.

The Mariners would be able to bring up players like Ryan Bliss and Tyler Locklear without having to send anyone down. If they are going to put Garver on the bench, they'll need a catcher like Michael Papierski from Tacoma or Jake Anchia from Arkansas, as the team is really thin at catcher in the minors after dealing Blake Hunt earlier this year (a move I still don't understand). Getting Bliss up for his speed would be a nice move, and Locklear as a power-hitter off the bench or to take some reps at 1st could keep Turner fresh as well.

It doesn't seem like they need to make any moves on the pitching side, but they could still look to bring up an arm just to keep people rested. A handful of moves are going to happen, and they'll be telling of what the Mariners strategy is going to be to wrap up the season amidst a hopeful playoff run.

#2: The AL West race with Houston

Yup, the playoff run. What looked guaranteed in the middle of June now sits as a hope and potential wishful thinking. It was a historic collapse unlike any we had seen in the history of baseball as the Mariners watched their 10-game lead disappear faster than a ball off the bat of Aaron Judge.

It was to Houston, too, which makes it all that much worse.

However, the season isn't over, and that's one of the great things about baseball. With around 30 games left for each team, the Mariners could make it with a strong finish. It helps that Houston has a tough stretch coming up, and with a nice run by the Mariners, that lead could get real right, real fast.

I think the higher-ups in baseball are hoping that it sits at around a game difference with a week to go in the season. The reason being that the Mariners and Astros are set to play their second of the last series of the season against eachother, with their penultimate showdown potentiall deciding the fate of the division. One team moves on, and the other goes home (unless the Royals fall apart).

It's going to be tight and it's going to be close... at least that's the hope.

#3: Will they swallow their pride to push for the playoffs

Here is the question that surrounds the Mariners and always seems to linger. Are they going to swallow their pride and sit some of those higher paid players in order to take a risk and put in someone else with a higher ceiling?

I brought it up earlier with Garver, but the only time that he should see the remainder of the season really should be as the backup catcher to Raleigh. Other than that, he shouldn't be in a game. The same goes for Haniger. He shouldn't step foot into the outfield again this year, and should be limited to the DH spots.

You've got Julio, Raley, Randy, and Robles. That's your outfield. Dylan Moore should be the late-game replacement if need be out there, whether as a runner or for his defensive value. I think this is also where having Dan Wilson as your manager plays a big part. It's always tough to take a dawg out of the game when they know that they have 7 innings in them. Fortunately for Wilson, he dealt with someone scarier than any team in baseball has anymore, working with Randy Johnson back in the day.

No one on the mound is going to be able to fool Wilson, and I think that will be a big factor in making sure that the pitchers are able to swallow their pride and come out of the game when they need to, not when they want to. If the Mariners can take some of their big salaries out of play and get the right guys in the game, then they have a chance to fight back in the AL West. Let's hope that it happens this September.