wild card standings still look good for the Seattle Mariners, despite a tough loss to the los angeles angels on Thursday night (August 10). The Mariners could be in serious trouble, though, as the pitching staff for the team lacks the depth that other contending teams in the American League already possess. To maintain a good position in the AL Wild Card standings, the Mariners need to finish strong in this series against the Angels.
When the Seattle Mariners returned from a quick road series against the Oakland Athletics, the team held sole possession of the second Wild Card spot in the American League.
It was a notable achievement, as the Mariners haven’t made the MLB Playoffs since the 2001 season. Many new fans of the team have never been able to attend a playoff game, so there is a raised level of excitement and expectations within the fan base.
Are Mariners still in the Wild Card race?
Entering play on Friday night (August 11), the Mariners are in a tie with the Tampa Bay Rays in the updated Wild Card standings. The teams have identical 59-57 records and are two-and-a-half games behind the New York Yankees (60-53). Just behind them are the Minnesota Twins (57-56), Los Angeles Angels (58-58), Kansas City Royals (57-57), and Baltimore Orioles (57-58). It shows how tight the race could be over the next two months.
The Seattle Mariners are in a very difficult position because another loss to the Angels would allow Mike Trout’s team to catch them in the standings. The Twins are also on a five-game winning streak, so that is another team that could sneak up on the Yankees, Rays, and Mariners this weekend. Despite how far ahead the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros have become on the rest of the American League, the Wild Card race will hold a lot of excitement.
What can the Mariners do to bolster the pitching staff?
Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto has been trying to make moves to bring arms to town. Though the most notable recent deal was to acquire Yonder Alonso from the Oakland Athletics, he also made a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals to bring on another starting pitcher.
The major problem is that the team has to keep dealing with injuries in the middle of a playoff race. Teams falling out of the playoff race will start to look to make more deals, including the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, and Miami Marlins.
The Mariners are currently without starting pitchers Drew Smyly, Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, and James Paxton. The team has also recently lost reliever David Phelps, who the team acquired from the Miami Marlins to pitch in high-stress situations. The flurry of injuries may force Dipoto to make another trade before August 31; otherwise, the Mariners could be at serious risk of taking a dive in the standings. For now, though, the Wild Card standings reflect something positive for the Seattle Mariners, as they still control their own destiny.