Seattle Mariners show designs on winning 'whole darn thing'

The Seattle Mariners are in about as good of a spot as they ever have been in team history.

Drayer: The first-place Mariners explain why it’s all coming together now

After a day off Monday, the Mariners have six games to go in the regular season while owning a two-game lead for the American League’s No. 2 seed in the playoffs and a three-game lead in the AL West. As things stand, the Mariners could clinch a playoff spot as soon as Tuesday, clinch the division as soon as Wednesday, and clinch the second seed as soon as Thursday.

The Mariners are flying high down the final stretch, having won 14 of their last 15 games, including a massive sweep of the division rival Houston Astros over the weekend that created that advantage in the AL West.

Job ‘not finished’ for first-place Seattle Mariners after huge sweep

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi joined Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Monday and raved about what the Mariners did in Houston.

“They knew going in that the weekend series was probably going to decide the division,” Morosi said, “and they walked in there and showed to all the world that they have serious designs of not just winning this division but winning the whole darn thing.”

It’s a pretty strong statement, but it’s well founded considering how successful the Mariners have been by and large since a big trade deadline headlined by the additions of All-Star corner infielders Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez.

While the pickups the Mariners made have had an impact, the team as a whole has been performing well. The same can’t be said for the Astros, who held a five-game lead over Seattle in the division on July 31 – the day of the trade deadline – but have been hit hard by injuries throughout the year.

“The circumstances of this division (are that) the Mariners have had their big guys healthy, with the exception of (Victor) Robles for a lot of the season, (and) they did have some pitching injuries earlier on,” Morosi said. “But for the most part, this is honestly in the rotation about as healthy as they’ve been all season long, and the bullpen has really come into form. (Closer Andrés) Muñoz has been really good of late.

“This is a really good Seattle team that looks like a division winner. They’re playing like it. And their closest competition, their flaws are showing up in the worst possible time. Just when you look at these two teams and the health and the depth of Seattle’s lineup, they should win the division. They probably will, and they should. The Seattle Mariners right now are the best team – not just with the best record – in the American League West, and there are plenty of people who think they might be the best team in the entire league.”

MLB Network insider Jon Morosi is a weekly guest on Wyman and Bob. Catch Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob from 2-7 p.m. weekdays.

Seattle Mariners show designs on winning ‘whole darn thing’

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