The Seattle Mariners have found themselves in a new position: not completely irrelevant in the race to the World Series.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Knock on wood and break out the rally shoe and all that.
Last week, the Mariners trounced the Toronto Blue Jays in just two games to win the wild card slot in the playoff race. They’re duking it out in Houston against those hated (and admittedly very good) cheaters in the American League Division Series. In the first game of the potential five game series, the Mariners lost in a crushing ninth inning walk-off home run after enjoying a lofty and unprecedented lead the entire game. This series won’t be a cakewalk, but if there’s any silver lining for Tuesday’s defeat, it’s that the Mariners can get a leg up against these Astros. The team doesn’t seem to be sweating the loss anyway.
On Thursday, the M’s get their second chance to even the odds against Houston before they bring playoff baseball back to Seattle for the first time in 21 years on Saturday. The newest addition to the Mariners, pitcher Luis Castillo, will start the game, making what we can only hope is a formidable impression. If you’re trying to watch the game in Seattle, the official watch party will be at the Hatback Bar & Grille across the street from T-Mobile Park at 12:27 p.m. on Thursday. However, if you’re hoping to catch some guaranteed Mariners playoff baseball live and in-person, you’re better off booking a flight to Houston and buying a ticket for Thursday’s game since that’ll probably be cheaper than tickets to T-Mobile Park’s Saturday game.
If the Mariners pull out a win Thursday or Saturday, then there’ll be another game at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, which would delay the Seahawks game next door at Lumen Field. Whoever wins this five-game series will move on to the American League Championship Series, where they’ll play either the New York Yankees or the Cleveland Guardians. Whoever wins that game will play in the World Series, something the Mariners have never done.
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