Mariners 4th best game in 2022 was the first playoff game in 20+ years

If it was solely up to me, this game would probably be number 2 on the list. It's not though, and it comes in at number 4. These top four games are all incredible, but this is easily the one that meant the most to the long-suffering Mariners franchise.

October 22nd, 2001. 20.96 years. 251.5 months. 7,655 Days.

However it is that you want to label it, that is the duration of the Mariners playoff drought. If they would've missed out this year, the drought could've pulled up to a bar and been served, that's how old it was.

Fortunately for Mariners fans, the drought gets turned away at the door. I'm sure we've done enough imbibing along the way to make up for it. Now, whenever active droughts get brought up in playoff conversations, the Mariners are nowhere near that conversation.

(Yes, I know they'll still get brought up as longest ever, remember that drought, and the whole World Series thing. Guess what? Good Vibes Only.)

The Mariners were sending Luis Castillo to the mound to open the series, giving the newly crowned Ace of the staff a chance to prove his worth, and price tag, after being acquired from the Reds at the midseason deadline. He went up against the Jays ace as well in Alek Manoah, in a true showdown of team aces.

Castillo would perform masterfully, going 7.1 IP without allowing any runs, striking out five and giving up six hits with no walks, but one HBP. Manoah, on the other hand, got hit hard and hit early. He would hit Julio, give up an RBI double to Geno, and then Big Dumper would come through yet again with a two-run HR to make it 3-0 before the Blue Jays ever came to the plate.

Manoah calmed down a bit, until he hit Julio again in the 5th. A France single would move him to third, and Geno would hit into an RBI groundout to make it 4-0. Munoz would come in and shut the door for the Mariners in the 8th, giving the Mariners a shutout win in their first playoff game in ages.

It was an incredible game, and holds more sentimental value and depth of meaning than any other game from this year. Yes, other games stand out more because of their meaning and the memories and replayability, but this game likely meant more to fans than any other games from the 2022 season.