Interesting Stat Pops Up That Could Show Why Seattle Mariners Missed the Playoffs
The Seattle Mariners went 85-77 and missed the playoffs this season. It's the second straight year that the M's missed the playoffs by just 1.0 game, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.
As we unpeel the onion as to why the M's are sitting home in October, a few things clearly come to mind: First, the M's offense was meager for most of the season. Failing to score at least three runs on a regular basis is a huge issue and the M's were on the wrong side of multiple close pitcher's duels.
Furthermore, you can point to the M's lack of success on the road. The Mariners went just 36-45, failing to win with enough regularity outside of T-Mobile Park. Also, the M's really struggled against some of the worst teams in baseball. They lost a series to the Washington Nationals, and the Miami Marlins, and were swept by the Los Angeles Angels (5-8 overall). Furthermore, the M's were 1-5 against the Detroit Tigers and they also lost a series to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But this is one we haven't thought about much: Situational bullpen use.
According to the "X" account, "Foolish Baseball," the Mariners bullpen allowed the third-highest percentage of inherited runners to score.
The bullpens that allowed Inherited Runners to score at the highest rates were the Twins, Diamondbacks, and Mariners. If you’re looking for reasons they barely missed the playoffs, that situational pitching and managing would be one.
The bullpens that allowed Inherited Runners to score at the highest rates were the Twins, Diamondbacks, and Mariners. If you’re looking for reasons they barely missed the playoffs, that situational pitching and managing would be one. pic.twitter.com/b57W0VIHlS
— Foolish Baseball (@FoolishBB) October 6, 2024
The Mariners dealt with bullpen attrition all season, as they lost Matt Brash for the year in spring training and ended up being without Gregory Santos for most of the season. As they tried to navigate the pen, they ended up with several situations in which guys weren't pitching in the spots they were probably best suited for.
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