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3 teams the Mariners fans need to root for to secure a postseason spot
The Mariners will definitely need some help from other teams if they hope to make the postseason
In one of the most up and down seasons in recent memory for Seattle sports fans, the season boils down to just a couple of weeks. After stretching a season-high lead out to 10 games just three months ago, staring down their first AL West division title in 23 years, the team is now on the outside looking in. The Mariners sit 4 games back of the division lead and will need the cards to play out just right in order to secure their second wild card spot in the last three years.
Seattle's schedule isn't easy as they will play both the AL West division leader as well as the AL East division leader for six of their last 12 games. The Mariners will need to take care of business to even have a chance of making another playoff appearance; however, the odds are high that they will need to get some serious help from a few teams to continue playing in October.
While Mariners players and fans will be watching and hoping the team wins on a nightly basis, they will need to start scoreboard watching. With that, Mariners fans will need to put on their alternate fan caps over the next couple of weeks and start rooting for the following teams.
The Cleveland Guardians could provide Seattle with 2 avenues to the playoffs
The Guardians should far and away be Mariners fans' second favorite team to finish the 2024 season. Cleveland has a comfortable lead in a surprisingly talented AL Central and will still need to play some competitive baseball to secure the division title. They could also be fighting with the New York Yankees for the number one seed, securing home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Cleveland could play a huge role in the Mariners making the playoffs. They start off with a four-game set at home against the Twins. This could be huge for the Mariners' odds of landing the final wild card spot as the Mariners are 2.5 games back of the Twins. Minnesota is 4-6 in its last 10 games, so hopefully their struggles continue as they head on the road against their division rivals.
The Guardians will likely have to play a key role in the Mariners securing their first division title in over 20 years as they will host the Astros for the final four games of the season. Hopefully, by this time the Mariners have already swept the Astros and just need to maintain the lead to make the playoffs, but that doesn't necessarily seem likely. If the Mariners can be just a game behind the Astros, the Guardians winning that series to close out the year, could be the deciding factor in Seattle finally knocking the Astros off of the AL West pedestal.
The Baltimore Orioles could open up the wild card for the Mariners
One of the teams the Mariners could potentially square off in during the first round of the playoffs may be the biggest contributor (and easiest path) to Seattle playing postseason baseball. The Orioles possess one of the best offenses in the game and after an offseason acquisition of Corbin Burnes, they look like one of the most complete teams in the American League. They currently have a comfortable five-game lead in the wild card but sit just three games behind the Yankees for the AL East title. With a three-game series against the Yankees next week, they could position themselves well going into that series, and at the same time, help the Mariners make a late push for a wild card spot.
While the Orioles begin a three-game series at home against the Giants, the Mariners will take on the current AL East leaders, the New York Yankees. In the next seven days, both teams could really help each other out, as a series win for each would put the Orioles just one game back, as they head to New York. After three against the Giants, the Orioles will host the Tigers in a prime spot to kick the Tigers out of wild card contention and propel a Twins versus Mariners battle for the final spot.
Speaking of the Minnesota Twins and the final wild card spot, the Orioles have a chance to really lock down the final wild card spot for the Mariners (assuming Seattle handles their business of course). After a very important three-game series in New York, Baltimore will head to Minnesota to close out the year. While Mariners fans don't care who wins the AL East, they should hope that Baltimore is still within range of the AL East title, when they head to Minnesota. This could end up being the deciding factor for Seattle clinching that final wild card spot.
Division rival, Angels, could help the Mariners secure the AL West
Ugh. I hate rooting for the Angels. While the Astros and Mariners have one of the newer, but more intense rivalries in baseball, the Angels have been a distant fourth place team over the last five or so years. The Angels are one of the most terribly run franchises and continuously make bad decisions surrounding some of the biggest stars in the game (Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani). They don't have much to play for at this point and have a fairly easy schedule as they play the White Sox in six of their final 13 games.
Unfortunately, I will be an Angels fan this upcoming weekend. Los Angeles will head to Houston in a four-game set that could play an incredible role in the Mariners staking claim of the AL West and making the playoffs this year. It might be wishful thinking, but even if the Angels could split the series with Houston, that could put the Mariners in position to take the division lead with a sweep of Houston. The Angels may just roll over and be looking towards next year, but hopefully Houston overlooks Los Angeles, and they can snag a couple of games from them to help Seattle out.
I mean...it could happen. Mariners' fans will be Angels fans this upcoming weekend, but we are probably better off rooting for the Padres today and tomorrow.
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