Despite struggles, Mariners hit the road with prime opportunity

After a disastrous ninth inning the night prior, the Seattle Mariners closed their homestand on a much-needed high note Wednesday.

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The Mariners hung on for a 5-4 win in the rubber match of their three-game series against the Chicago White Sox to avoid losing their second straight series at home.

And despite a 2-4 homestand, the 24-27 M’s are about to hit the road for a six-game trip that’s a prime opportunity to climb to the top of the American League West standings.

The M’s head to the Midwest for a three-game series against the struggling Kansas City Royals starting Friday, then they make the trip to West Sacramento, Calif., to take on the AL West-leading Athletics for three games.

The Royals entered Wednesday losers of eight of their past nine games and in last place in the AL Central at 20-29 overall. During its recent slide, Kansas City has been outscored 43-25 and allowed at least five runs six times.

It’s an opportunity for the Mariners to build some momentum by taking advantage of a struggling team, but there is one big caveat for that series: The Royals came to T-Mobile Park at the start of this month and swept the M’s in three games.

The series against the Athletics that follows is even more important. After Wednesday’s win, the Mariners were only 1.5 games back of the Athletics for first in the AL West (the A’s had yet to play their Wednesday night game against the Angels at the time this post was published).

AL West Standings

The M’s may also be catching the A’s at the right time. They had lost six of their past nine games entering Wednesday and will be playing the final three games of a 16-day stretch with no days off when Seattle visits Sutter Health Park.

The series in West Sacramento will also be the the last time the Mariners face the A’s until they meet for two series in September, and the last time they play an AL West foe until beginning of a series against the Angels on June 29.

One key stat for M’s to turn around

When the Mariners have been at their best in recent years, winning close games has been a major reason why.

Over the past four seasons, the Mariners have posted a winning record in one-run games twice (2022 and 2025). They made the playoffs both times.

And in the two seasons they had a losing record in one-run games (2023 and 2024), they finished one game out of the AL’s final playoff berth.

One-run games have been a struggle for Seattle in 2026. It’s 7-12 in such games, the worst mark among AL West teams as of Wednesday afternoon.

If the team is going to go on a run anytime soon, finding ways to win more close games will almost certainly be a part of that.

More on the Seattle Mariners

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