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.