The Seattle Mariners are closing in on clinching their first postseason berth since 2001.
After a busy offseason in which they signed Robbie Ray and traded for Jesse Winker, Eugenio Suarez, and Adam Frazier, the Mariners got off to a rocky start.
But at the end of June, they went on a run and haven’t slowed down since, acquiring Luis Castillo along the way.
Now, Seattle finds themselves with a magic number of one to clinch a playoff berth.
And they brought it down to one in dramatic fashion, defeating the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the 11th inning on J.P. Crawford‘s walk-off hit.
The Mariners walk it off in the 11th inning!
Their magic number is now 1 pic.twitter.com/Y1IDibGuJE
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 30, 2022
Mariners Can Clinch Tonight
Now, all the Mariners need today is a win tonight over the Oakland Athletics or a Baltimore Orioles loss.
Baltimore will take on the New York Yankees at 7:05 p.m. Eastern Time at Yankee Stadium.
The Mariners don’t start until close to 10 p.m. Eastern, which means that they could have their playoff spot locked up before they even start play.
Regardless of when and how they do it, fans in Seattle will be pumped about it, as it will be the first time in 21 years that they will have a chance to celebrate their Mariners reaching the playoffs.
Back in 2001, Seattle won 116 games and made it all the way to the ALCS, only to be bounced out in five by the Yankees.
At 85-70, they sit on the precipice of changing the fortunes of their franchise and ushering in a new era of Mariners baseball, one that includes winning and deep playoff runs.
They lead the Tampa Bay Rays by a half-game for the second AL Wild Card spot.
NEXT: The Mariners Are Closing In On An Important Return
