The Seattle Mariners are closing in on a historic milestone. Entering play Wednesday with an 88-69 record, Seattle sits just one game away from clinching its first American League West crown since 2001.
The path is straightforward: a Mariners win over the Colorado Rockies or a Houston Astros loss to the Oakland Athletics will lock it up. Seattle’s sweep of Houston over the weekend widened the gap, leaving the Astros at 84-73. The division title has belonged to Houston for much of the past decade, with the club winning seven AL West championships since joining the division in 2013—all in the last eight years.
But Seattle’s sights are set on more than just ending a 24-year division drought. The team also controls its fate for a coveted first-round bye straight to the American League Division Series. Thanks to head-to-head tiebreakers over both the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers, who are tied at 85-72 atop the AL Central, the Mariners’ magic number to secure the bye is just two.
That clinch will take a little longer. With Detroit and Cleveland facing each other, the Mariners cannot wrap it up Wednesday. Still, if Seattle wins both of its remaining games against Colorado, or if they split and the Tigers and Guardians split theirs, the bye will be secured before the Los Angeles Dodgers arrive in town for a weekend series.
Seattle reminded fans Tuesday night that nothing should be taken for granted, rallying late to beat the Rockies in Denver. But with the finish line in sight, the Mariners know the importance of keeping their foot on the gas. One more victory—or one more Houston stumble—will finally deliver the division crown long out of reach.
Source: Sports Illustrated