With about four weeks left in the regular season, the Mariners are still within reach of a playoff spot. Although the Mariners front office claimed that this team could compete for a wild card spot at the beginning of the season, few fans likely believed them. Now the Mariners are one of five teams in the American League playing for two wildcard spots. The teams in contention are the New York Yankees (78-59), Boston Red Sox (79-61), Seattle Mariners (75-63), Toronto Blue Jays (74-62), and Oakland A’s (74-63).

The Yankees currently hold a half-game lead for the first wildcard spot. After winning thirteen straight games, they were closing in on the American League East leader Tampa Bay. Since then, they have lost seven of the last nine games. Their top relief pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga has been placed on the ten-day IL, and the offense looks lost. Fifteen of their last twenty-five games will be against teams in their division. The Yankees are currently 28-33 against their division.

Boston holds the second wildcard spot and has a challenging schedule for its last twenty-two games. They recently lost several key players, including their closer Matt Barnes to the COVID-19 list. He will be out no fewer than ten days when they are scheduled to play Tampa Bay and Chicago, both division leaders.

Toronto’s twenty-six games are a series of home and away games against the same four teams New York, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota. Toronto is a strong young team that is getting healthy at the right time. In a world without Shohei Ohtani, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would be running away with the American League MVP. Guerrero is tied for first in hitting with .321, third in home runs at 40, and fourth in RBIs with 98. With a strong finish, he still has a shot at winning the triple crown. Throw in Marcus Semien, who is having a career year, and Telstar Hernandez with twenty-five home runs and ninety-three RBI’s makes this team dangerous down the stretch.

Going back to August 13, Oakland has been in free fall. They’ve lost fifteen of their last twenty-two games. Oakland’s remaining twenty-five games don’t look to get any easier. They will play nine games against Houston and Chicago. They have seven games against Seattle, which they’ve already lost eight games to in twelve meetings. Also, Oakland’s ace Chris Bassitt was injured on August 17 when he was hit in the head by a line drive traveling 100 mph. He was treated for a fracture in his right cheek and is unlikely to return this season.

That leaves the Mariners, who have games left with Houston, Arizona, Boston, Kansas City, Oakland, and Los Angeles. The Mariners are 36-25 in the division, and the three games against the Red Sox on September 13, 14, and 15 will likely determine if they make it to the playoffs.

The only notable free agent signed by the Mariners in the last offseason was James Paxton. He only played in less than two innings before the Mariners lost him for the season with an injury. Ty France, Abraham Toro, and Jake Bauers have all been hitting well since August. Recent pitching acquisition Tyler Anderson has won four of his last five starts. Only three games behind Boston with twenty-four games left to play, a strong finish could get them into the playoffs for the first time since 2001.