Are the 2023 Mariners a playoff team?

Are the 2023 Seattle Mariners a playoff team? The Seattle Mariners came into their recent road-trip playing decent baseball. Taking 2 out of 3 from a better-than-expected Miami Marlins and 2 out of 3 from an underwhelming Chicago White Sox team. After the recent home stand the Mariners were 3 games behind the Yankees for the last wildcard spot and 9 back of the Rangers in the AL West.

Then came the recent road-trip against the Yankees and the Orioles. The Mariners went 2-4 on the road-trip and continued their uneven offensive performance. Scoring 9 runs in the 4 losses and 23 runs in the 2 wins. Now the Mariners sit 9.5 back of the Rangers so not much has changed in the AL West and they sit 4.5 back of the Blue Jays for the last wild card spot.

Through 76 games the Mariners are 37-39 at this time last year they were 35-41. But the likelihood that this Mariners team will go on a 14 game winning streak is unlikely. They are also 12-24 against above .500 teams, which isn’t going to cut it.

The Mariners hitters have treated their starting pitching staff like Mariner's hitters treated Felix Hernandez. But I still think there is hope for this team. The underlying numbers show the Mariners hitting has been better than it is showing. Their xOBP is .325 and xSLG is .417,  both higher than what they are producing. Maybe this team has just been unlucky so far this season.

Luckily for the Mariners there are 86 games left and the Mariners have the 13th easiest schedule the rest of the way. They have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball and they are still only 4.5 games back from a wildcard spot. We know Jerry will add a bat to help this team. If the team hits like they normally do in the second half, I think they will make the playoffs. If they do watch out because they have the pitching that makes them scary in the playoffs.