Seattle Mariners Make MLB Playoffs For The First Time Since 2001

Thanks to a great new young core of stars led by Center Fielder Julio Rodriguez, Pitcher Logan Gilbert, Catcher Cal Raleigh, and Left Fielder Jarred Kelenic, the Seattle Mariners made the MLB playoffs this season for the first time since 2001. 

 The season didn’t start off too hot for the Mariners going 37-41 in the first three months of the season. This resulted in Kelenic, Raleigh and others getting sent down to the minor leagues to develop a bit more. This all changed from July 2nd to the 17th as the Mariners went on a tear, winning 14 straight games going into the All Star break. In that time, the Mariners also had two players named to the MLB All Star Team. Julio Rodriguez and First Baseman Ty France both made the All Star Game with Julio also making the home run derby.

All Star Break

Rodriguez came out hot and ready to make a statement knocking out Texas Rangers Third Baseman Corey Seager in the first round with an outstanding 32 HR round. With the round one win under his belt, he had to face the defending champ, New York Mets First Baseman Pete Alonso. Julio did not miss a beat, dropping 31 home runs in another round win. This meant he was moving on to the finals to face another young superstar, San Diego Padres Outfielder Juan Soto. The dream would be short lived, as Soto was able to barely edge out Rodriguez 19-18 in the Finals.

Trade Deadline

 A trade at the deadline changed the course of the season for the Mariners. They traded four prospects including Shortstop Noelvi Marte and Shortstop Edwin Arroyo for All Star Pitcher Luis Castillo. Castillo is now the ace for the team and has pitched amazingly in almost every start.

September

The Mariners would enter September as one of the best teams in the American League at 73-58. Longtime fans believed this would be the year they break the 21 year playoff drought. Top to bottom, almost everybody on the roster was contributing. The defense was top 5 in the league. On September 30th, the record was 85-70 facing Okland; a win against Oakland would lock in their first playoff spot in 21 years. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Cal Raleigh stepped up to the plate. With a full count Raleigh hit an absolute moon shot into right field over the fence for a home run sending them to the Wild Card series.

Wild Card

In game one of the AL Wild Card series, which is a best of 3, the Mariners got off to an early 3-0 lead on another Cal Raleigh homer. Luis Castillo pitched lights out to keep the lead and the Mariners would end up winning 4-0. Game two got off to a rockier start going down 8-1 fairly early. This didn’t stop the Mariners though, they just kept fighting until in the eighth inning, JP Crawford hit a double that scored three runs. In the ninth Adam Frazier doubled to right field completing the 2nd biggest comeback in MLB playoff history. On to the American League Division Series.

ALDS

 In a series against the Houston Astros that could have been a sweep the other way, the Mariners went out in three heartbreakers. Starting off with game one, the Mariners got off to a great start leading 4-0 in the second but it wouldn’t last long when Yordan Alvarez hit the first of his two home runs in the game. The home runs started flying into the seats from there with Crawford and Suarez both hitting one for the Mariners. Gurriel and Bregman also hit one each for the Astros. This would bring back up Alvarez in the bottom of the ninth. Mariners up 7-5, Yordan was ready, jumping on a fastball and smashing it to right for a walkoff 7-8 win in game one. 

 Going into a crucial game two the Mariners knew they most likely needed a win to stay alive. Game two was a low scoring game with Alvarez once again homering in a 4-2 Astros win. Game three was in Seattle unlike games one and two that were in Houston. This was the first playoff game in Seattle since 2001. It was a sellout and at the game you could feel the energy building in the stadium after 9 scoreless innings and a great pitching performance by both sides we went into extra innings. 8 innings later on top of the 9 original innings and still no one can score a run, with multiple hard hit balls on both sides that almost resulted in homers. Once again in the 18th inning the Mariners made history, this game tying the record for the longest game in playoff history, and it holds the record for the longest scoreless game in postseason history. But the dream had to end eventually when in the top of the 18th Jeremy Pena hit a homer to center field that silenced the crowd at T-Mobile Park. The game would end at 1-0 after 18 innings. The M’s came up short of their end goal, but will be back even more hungry next season!