The Mariners got swept and still somehow control their own destiny for the playoffs

It's amazing to me how baseball works sometimes. You can play great baseball, and things just won't work out for you. Then, you can have a terrible weekend and still be in control of your own destiny. That's where the Mariners find themselves as they arrive back home in Seattle with their proverbial tails between their legs after being swept by the Texas Rangers.

This late in the season, you wouldn't think it would be the case, or even be a possibility. What started as an essential three-way tie for the AL West now shows the Rangers with a firm grasp on the division, and they hold the keys for the rest of the season. There is good news for the Mariners, though.

The Astros got swept also, but by the Royals, and that's who we play next. If we can win the series, then we will go into the final series of the season with a chance to not just make the postseason, but to still win the division.

Why?

Well, that's because we finish out with four games against the Texas Rangers. The Mariners still need to take care of business against the Astros, and do so in the same manner that the Rangers play the Angels. If Seattle can get to that final series within three games of Texas, then they can still overtake them. They will have to finish with a better record than Texas since the Rangers have the tiebreaker, but it can still be done.

In a way, it would be hilarious to me if the Mariners somehow ended up 89-73 and won the division. They finished 90-72 the past two seasons, but missed the playoffs the first time and made it last season. How funny would it be to see them "do worse" but win the division?

Something like that is in the cards, still. The Mariners need to take care of business, but they still have the opportunity to do so as they chase Houston and Texas. After being swept, we never thought it would be possible, but it still is. Let's go Mariners!