Mariners discover themselves in uncommon spot heading into September: first place

SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners began August with a loss that left them in fourth place within the AL West and continued a irritating development of hovering close to the .500 mark.

They have been on the fringes of being within the AL wild-card race after the Aug. 1 setback to Boston. But a contender for the AL West? That wasn’t even a consideration after the 6-4 defeat.

Fast ahead 30 days and all has modified for Seattle following probably the most profitable month in franchise historical past. For the primary time in additional than 20 years, the Mariners will go into September in first place within the division after profitable a staff report 21 video games in August and altering the hopes for what this season may find yourself being within the Pacific Northwest.

The final time Seattle was in first place because the calendar turned to Sept. 1 got here in 2001.

“These guys like to compete, and they like competing together,” Seattle supervisor Scott Servais mentioned. “So when you’re doing those things, you’re getting good results, like I said you can’t wait to get back to the ballpark the next day.”

A 12 months after ending the longest postseason drought within the 4 main skilled sports in North America, the Mariners have once more ignited the assumption that this might be a particular fall.

PHOTOS: Mariners discover themselves in uncommon spot heading into September: first place

Seattle will enter September in a digital useless warmth with Houston and Texas within the AL West, all three separated by one recreation. It’s an enthralling division race and simply the third time since divisions have been added in 1969 that three groups are separated by one recreation or much less getting into September – the final coming in 1980.

And it’s a race prone to go all the way down to the ultimate days of the common season. Seattle will play its remaining 10 video games towards these two groups.

“It’ll just get everybody ready for playoffs,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández mentioned. “As soon as September comes, every game is going to feel like that, and we’re ready for it.”

At one level this season, Seattle followers have been fed up with a bunch they considered as underperforming. The struggles on the sphere of such a gifted group gave the vibes of being an unlikeable staff.

The low level appeared to come back June 30 when Seattle was thumped by Tampa Bay 15-4. The stands at T-Mobile Park have been stuffed with boos because the Mariners dropped 4 video games below .500.

Since that loss, Seattle has gone 38-15.

“We needed to earn it. You’re right, it wasn’t headed in the right direction,” Servais mentioned. “And what excites me about our team going forward is the confidence, the energy from our team, from our fan base and everybody here in the building. We have a good team.”

It’s helped that Seattle’s finest participant has been probably the greatest gamers in baseball for the previous two months. Julio Rodríguez is the engine that drives a lot of Seattle’s success offensively, and August was one of the best month of his younger profession. Rodríguez hit .429 with seven homers, 30 RBIs, 10 doubles, 11 stolen bases and a 1.198 OPS for the month. He had 5 video games with no less than 4 hits and set an MLB report with 17 hits in a four-game span.

When the month started, Rodríguez was hitting .251 for the season. He ended August at .286, together with 28 hits in his remaining 10 video games of the month earlier than sitting out two video games with a sore left foot. Seattle is hoping he’ll be again within the lineup this weekend in New York towards the Mets.

“I feel like everybody is playing like how we all know we can play,” Rodriguez mentioned.

To that finish, it wasn’t simply Rodriguez that acquired sizzling. Seattle’s bats hit .285 with 46 homers in August. Hernández, freed of commerce hypothesis that swirled round him earlier than the deadline, hit .365 for the month and lower down on his strikeouts. Newcomers Dominic Canzone and Josh Rojas each settled in with robust months after being acquired from Arizona. Even position gamers like Cade Marlowe, José Caballero and Dylan Moore had key moments within the August success.

But what makes Seattle a risk going into the ultimate month is pitching. The Mariners will enter September with one of the best staff ERA in baseball at 3.64. There is concern in regards to the innings load beginning to pile up on rookie starters Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo, however the trio of Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert is a three-pack of arms no opponent want to see within the postseason.

And Seattle made a small transfer to bolster its bullpen Thursday, claiming Dominic Leone off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. Seattle pays $375,000 of his $2.25 million wage.