Do you believe in magic? Seattle Mariners’ fans should.
On September 5, the Mariners lost to the Atlanta Braves in the first game of a three-game series. Earlier that day, I wrote a column pronouncing the Mariners maybe not dead, but certainly in critical condition. So far this season, I have buried the team in April, resurrected them in May, put them back in the grave in June, and then brought them back one more time in August, before burying them for what I thought was the last time at the start of September. Following that loss to Atlanta, which dropped them to 1-6 in their previous seven games and 3-7 in their previous ten, the Mariners sat 3.5 games behind Houston in the American League West Division standings, and the Texas Rangers were just .5 games behind them for the final Wild Card spot.
Seeing as the time seems to swing back and forth wildly every time I write about them, I hesitate to write this next part. The Mariners are good again. And not just good. Potentially the best team in nearly a quarter of a century, good. Since that loss to Atlanta, the Mariners are 14-1. They just finished a three-game beatdown of the Houston Astros in Houston that gave the Mariners a three-game lead in the American League West with six games to play. They currently hold a two-game edge over the Detroit Tigers for the second seed in the American League, which would give them a bye to the Divisional round and homefield advantage.
On September 6, the Mariners decided they were tired of looking lost in road games and clobbered the Braves 10-2. The next day, they won 18-2. If you believe in such things, a fan apparently paid a witch on Etsy to fix the team’s woes. Team broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith hollered “The Etsy Witch! Is! Real” after utility man Leo Rivas hit a walk-off home run against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 10. While the Mariners’ surge has seen plenty of big moments and thrills from Rivas’ dramatic walk-off, to Cal Raleigh’s continued assault on the American League home run record, none were bigger than what the team provided in their three-game sweep of Houston. The Astros have been a thorn in the Mariners’ side for the better part of a decade, with seemingly any momentum by the Mariners ending with a brutal beatdown at the hands of Houston. The Astros eliminated the Mariners in their last playoff appearance in 2022 and erased a double-digit deficit in the standings to overtake the Mariners last season. Coming into a crucial three-game series in Houston with the two teams tied in the standings appeared to be setting the stage for more heartbreak for Mariners fans.
Not this year.
On Friday, Houston managed just three hits against Mariners starter Brian Woo and the team’s bullpen, while the Mariners hit four solo home runs in a 4-0 win. On Saturday, the Mariners were up 6-0 behind a dominant start by George Kirby, only for the Astros to battle back and put the tying runs on base in the ninth inning against closer Andres Munoz. The stage was set for the Astros to rip out the Mariners’ hearts once again.
Not this year.
Outfielder Victor Robles made a superman catch of a line drive and doubled a runner from second to secure a 6-4 win for the Mariners.
On Sunday, they wrapped up the sweep with a 7-3 thanks to a seven-run second inning keyed by a grand slam from JP Crawford and yet another home run from Raleigh.
Three games, three wins in the biggest regular season series the team has played in years. The sweep leaves the team’s magic number at three heading into the final six games of the season. Any combination of three Seattle wins against the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers at home, or three losses by the Astros, would give the team their first division title since 2001. Any three Mariners wins or three losses by the Astros or Cleveland Guardians guarantee the team a wild-card spot at worst. Any combination of 4 wins by the Mariners and losses by the Detroit Tigers would lock up the second seed in the American League.
Unlike previous years, the Mariners are not scratching and clawing to the finish line, just hoping and praying they get help from other teams to make the postseason. This year, they hold their destiny in their hands.
The offense is humming, and the pitching staff is dealing. If all goes right, the Mariners could secure a division title as soon as Wednesday. Even if things get tight, for once, it is the Mariners holding the upper hand while their rivals battle to make the playoffs.
No matter how things go over the next week, the past 16 days have been magical for the Mariners.
Here’s hoping the spell doesn’t wear off anytime soon.
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