How the Mariners fit into the playoff picture at the MLB halfway point

We are at the halfway mark of the season, which is crazy because it felt like the season just started. Here's how the Mariners fit into the playoff picture

Chicago White Sox v Seattle Mariners
Chicago White Sox v Seattle Mariners | Steph Chambers/GettyImages
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AL West

1st place team: Seattle Mariners (45-35)

The Seattle Mariners have the best rotation in baseball and one of the worst offenses in baseball. They need Julio Rodriguez to be the star that he was the last two years. They also need Jorge Polanco, Mitch Garver, and Mitch Haniger to get it going in the second half. Jerry Dipoto will acquire a bat or two before the trade deadline.

2nd place team: Houston Astros (38-40) 6 GB, 4 GB of WC3

The Houston Astros have not been the Houston Astros that we normally see. They are usually led by dominant starting pitching but they have battled many injuries this year. They still have one of the best offenses in baseball. Watch out because they could get hot and catch the Mariners.

3rd place team: Texas Rangers (37-40) 6.5 GB, 4.5 GB of WC3

The 2023 World Series Champions have struggled mightily in 2024. Their rotation has been one of the worst in baseball and their offense has been streaky. Adolis Garcia has not been what he was in 2023. They will make some moves and getting Josh Jung back will help their offense.

4th place team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (30-46) 13 GB, 11 GB of WC3

This is the same old Angels team. Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon on the IL and a bad rotation. The Angels need a full rebuild.

5th place team: Oakland Athletics (29-51) 16 GB. 14 GB of WC3

The Oakland Athletics were actually surprisingly good to start the season. But their owner doesn't care about them and the city of Oakland, as they are on the verge of moving to Las Vegas. They will be sellers at the deadline.

Schedule