Everybody talks about the Baltimore Orioles, and for good reason: they have won nine straight games and have the obvious “wow” factor of a team surprising the whole league after losing 110 games last year.
But what about the Seattle Mariners?
They have also won nine consecutive games, and look as strong as ever after a few rocky weeks to open the season.
Seattle has managed to retake the second position in the AL West division, which is impressive considering they were fourth a few weeks ago.
They are now 46-42, and while they are still far from the first-place Houston Astros (12 games as of Wednesday afternoon), they now look like a playoff-caliber squad.
They are also doing things we haven’t seen them achieve for years, even decades.
“The @Mariners have won 9 consecutive games for the first time since May 27-June 5, 2003. The Mariners are 17-3 over their last 20 games, their best 20-game stretch since going 17-3 from April 2-23, 2002,” Mariners PR tweeted.
The @Mariners have won 9 consecutive games for the first time since May 27-June 5, 2003.
The Mariners are 17-3 over their last 20 games, their best 20-game stretch since going 17-3 from April 2-23, 2002.
— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) July 13, 2022
Trying To Make The Playoffs For The First Time In Ages
The 2001 Mariners were the last version that made the playoffs.
The 2002 and 2003 editions, with Ichiro Suzuki leading the charge, were pretty good, too, even if they failed to qualify for October baseball.
After a mediocre start, it’s finally looking like the Mariners are in a good position to make the postseason for the first time in 21 years.
They are in a group of seven teams separated by 3.5 games, along with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Minnesota Twins, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Cleveland Guardians, the Boston Red Sox, and the Baltimore Orioles.
If they keep playing like this, they will have great odds of finally playing meaningful October games for the first time in a while.
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