SEATTLE – The bullpen was thought to be a potential weak spot for the Seattle Mariners coming out of the trade deadline, but the group is showing it may have the horses to help the team get across the finish line and back into the playoffs.

Seattle Mariners’ playoff path widening as AL contender slips

Seattle relievers have been on a remarkable run of dominance during an eight-game winning streak, which is tied for the Mariners’ longest of the season. The group leads baseball with 35 1/3 innings and a 0.25 ERA over the stretch. The next-closest bullpen in terms of ERA is more than a full run behind.

The unit’s efforts over the past week-plus include covering a whopping 19 2/3 inning over a three-game stretch that feature back-to-back extra innings game, including tossing 8 1/3 shutout innings during a 13-inning win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

“Guys (are) reaching down and finding something extra. … The guys just continue to roll, and I think at a time when we really need it,” manager Dan Wilson said before Sunday’s homestand finale against the Los Angeles Angels. “As we’ve talked about, offense can be contagious. I think the bullpen has been contagious in some ways, and each guy has continued to kind of carry the torch.”

The contributions have indeed come from up and down the bullpen. All nine arms that have been with the club during the stretch have tossed at least three innings, including eight who haven’t allowed an earned run.

One of the arms making major contributions during the stretch is veteran right-hander Luke Jackson.

The 34-year-old Jackson was picked up off waivers from the Detroit Tigers in August and joined Seattle on Sept. 1 when rosters expanded to 28 players. He was quickly thrust into multiple leverage spots during the homestand.

Jackson pitched the 11th and 12th innings in Seattle’s 13-inning win Wednesday, covered the 11th in a 12-inning win Thursday, and pitched a perfect seventh to help the M’s secure their 5-3 win Saturday night. He leads the team with six innings pitched out of the bullpen during the winning streak.

Jackson made his MLB debut a decade ago and has 28 career saves. He had a stint as Atlanta’s closer, logging 18 saves in 2019.

“(He’s) obviously a guy that has that veteran experience, and that goes so far, especially this time of year,” Wilson said. “And his ability to come in and not be intimidated by the situation or the score of the game or whatever, he’s been able to come in and really deliver for us, and I think what he’s been able to do, even down in the bullpen just sharing and becoming a part of that ‘pen quickly obviously is helpful, too.

“In terms of that, his leadership, his ability to take the ball whenever we’ve asked him, it’s been really good.”

Raleigh showing patience

Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh’s tied Mickey Mantle’s MLB record of 54 home runs in a season for a switch-hitter on Sunday, but he had been stuck at 53 since the start of the homestand. Part of the reason is he hasn’t been getting pitched to much this week.

Raleigh entered Sunday’s homestand finale with nine walks, including three intentional passes, and a hit by pitch in 28 plate appearances over six games. He was batting just .222 (4 for 18) but had a .500 on-base percentage during the stretch.

Sunday was Raleigh’s last chance to tie the record before heading out for a six-game road trip. Angels starter Kyle Hendricks was a good matchup for him, though. Raleigh hit a solo shot off Hendricks during a 4-1 loss in Anaheim on July 27 and was 2 for 5 in his career against Hendricks entering Sunday.

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