Despite alarming skid, Mariners’ playoff chances still safe for now

It’s easy to feel like the sky is falling for the Seattle Mariners and their chances of making the playoffs this season.

Luckily for the Mariners, their competition in the American League wild card race have yet to make them pay for their alarming skid.

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After falling victim to a three-game sweep by the Tampa Bay Rays in the first half of this week, the Mariners are 6-14 over their last 20 games. That includes five losses in six games on their current six-game road trip, and a dismal 2-12 record over their last 14 road games.

Before the Mariners’ struggles began in mid-August, they were 14 games above .500, buoyed by an initial 10-1 run after they added All-Star slugger Eugenio Suárez to their trade deadline haul that started with first baseman Josh Naylor a week prior. Now they sit at just six games over .500 at 73-67 while getting the day off Thursday before starting a final three-game series on their current road trip Friday against the Atlanta Braves.

Yes, the Mariners’ skid has hurt them in the standings. But maybe not as much as you’d think.

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On Aug. 12, Seattle had a 67-53 record and was tied with the Houston Astros for both first place in the AL West and the AL’s top wild card spot. The M’s were 1 1/2 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox, who were in the second wild card spot, and three up on the New York Yankees, who were in position for the third wild card. They were also four games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians, the first team in the AL out of a playoff spot.

Now 23 days and 14 losses later, the Mariners are four games back of Houston (77-63) in the division, 4 1/2 back of both the Yankees (77-62) and Red Sox (78-63) for the first two wild cards, and 1 1/2 games up on the Texas Rangers (72-69) for the third wild card.

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And yet Seattle’s lead for that final AL playoff spot is safe for at least a couple more days. Like the Mariners, the Rangers don’t play Thursday, so the earliest Texas could pass them in the standings would be Saturday. If the Mariners can get things turned around in Atlanta, though, they can keep staving off a Rangers team that is dealing with all kinds of injury trouble.

While Texas surged with nine wins in a recent 10-game stretch, it didn’t take advantage of a chance to make the M’s pay this week, losing two of three games in a series at Arizona.

Despite the Mariners’ struggles on the road (32-40 this year), their record at home (41-27) has been a saving grace. They’ll be back at the friendly confines of T-Mobile Park on Monday, too, for the first of 13 games at home over the final 19-game stretch of the regular season.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while Seattle trails the Astros in the division, there will be a three-game series in Houston between the bitter rivals from Sept. 19-21. Yes, it’s a road series for the Mariners, but if they can get things turned around by then, it’s an opportunity to make up serious ground in the AL West chase.

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The M’s will get a little help one way or another while off Thursday. The only key teams they’re currently jockeying with in the playoff race who are in action are the Astros and Yankees, who will play a series finale at 4:40 p.m. in Houston. That means Seattle will either gain a half-game on the Yankees in the wild card standings and lose a half-game on the Astros in the division, or vice verse.

Also good news for the M’s is that the Braves (63-77) have lost five of their last seven games. For comparison, the Rays entered this week’s series against Seattle having won three straight and six of eight games.

Friday’s Mariners series opener in Atlanta is set for a 4:15 p.m. first pitch. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will start at 3 p.m. with the pregame show.

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Drayer: Struggling Mariners acknowledge ‘the ball is in our court’
• Mariners add one reliever, lose another through waivers
• Cal Raleigh hits 51st homer, closes in on more records
• It’s time the scuffling Mariners shake up their batting order
• Josh Naylor is giving the Seattle Mariners every reason to re-sign him

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