This Mariners season has been a roller-coaster ride, and it’s only at the halfway point.

Who are the Mariners now? A look at their surge

First was a blistering 11-6 start, a good sign for a team that came into the year with postseason expectations. Then there was a disastrous May, littered with devastating injuries and under-performance from key players that left them 10 games under .500 at one point.

Lately, though, the Mariners have been climbing back up. Entering a huge four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays that starts at 7:10 p.m. Thursday night on Seattle Sports, the Mariners have won 12 of their last 15 games and are now 41-42 overall, a win away from getting back to .500 for the first time since May 3.

More importantly, the M’s are back in striking distance of the American League’s three wild card berths to the playoffs, the last of which currently belongs to the Blue Jays (45-38). That means a Mariners sweep this weekend would at least even them with Toronto in the standings, if not even tie them for that wild card spot.

We’ve been checking in with Bob Stelton of Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob throughout this season, and in his latest M’s breakdown video, he paints a much sunnier picture than in previous editions.

In this latest video, we get Bob’s opinion on:

• Who these Mariners really are

• Julio Rodríguez’s massive breakout

• Seattle’s stellar pitching

• Whether the brawl with the Angels was a good thing

• A possible unsung hero emerging

• Which M’s players belong in the All-Star Game on July 19 in Los Angeles

Watch the full edition of Bob’s Baseball Breakdown at the top of this post, and be sure to keep an eye on the Seattle Sports YouTube channel for more videos like this.

Why is the Mariners’ pitching on such a roll? Pitching coach’s insight

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