3 storylines to watch over the last month of the season

#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.