Just how bad could things get for the 2024 Mariners? Here's what the floor could look like

First Half: We Need A Medic!

The season starts fine enough. A moderately easy schedule had Seattle with a 2 game lead heading into May over the Astros and Rangers, but considering those two clubs' health issues, it felt like the team didn't quite capture the moment. This miss would come back to haunt Seattle, as they began to feel the effects of their brittle roster.

It was one thing when one of the newly acquired hitters went down, it was a completely different game when one of the core stars on both offense and the pitching went down. 

It became clear that while the starting pitching was elite, the health of it would either make or break the season. Julio was fantastic, finishing 3rd in MVP voting, but the supporting cast just couldn't support enough with a pitching staff that wasn't dominant. While it was glorious to see Mitch Haniger back, we were painfully reminded why he has never been able to become the star he could have been. We were reminded that guys like Mitch Garver and Jorge Polanco are great role players, but not guys that should be asked to hit 3rd and 4th on a championship lineup. The weight of expectations met the Injured List hard, making for a cruel sinking ship feeling during the summer.

By July, the starting staff was weathered, and fans were loud and angry after watching Blake Snell tear up the National League yet again, starting in the All Star game. The offense, after seeing 8 of their starters miss time, were ranked 9th in the American League and fading fast.