Seattle Mariners Playing Like a League-Best Team in September

The Seattle Mariners have been one of the best teams in the league over the last three weeks of the season while making critical playoff push.
Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford celebrates after hitting a triple against the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Globe Life Field.
Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford celebrates after hitting a triple against the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Globe Life Field. / Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images
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The Seattle Mariners have seven games left in the season with their postseason future still in doubt.

The season is on the line, and they're playing like it.

The Mariners are entering Sunday coming off two straight wins against the Texas Rangers. Seattle has outscored Texas 16-6 in the two games and has combined for 26 hits during that stretch to go with four home runs.

Three of those home runs were hit by the franchise cornerstone Julio Rodriguez. He went 7-for-11 with nine RBIs to go with his long balls during those two games.

But the Mariners' success has gone beyond from their two games against the Rangers.

Seattle has played 16 games from Sept. 4 through Saturday (Sept. 20). And they've been one of the best teams in the league during that stretch.

The Mariners have an 11-5 record since Sept. 4, which are tied for the best record in the league with the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and New York Mets.

Seattle has the second most hits in the league during that stretch (159), second only to its American League West rivals, the Houston Astros (170). The Mariners also have the seventh-most home runs during that time (22), are fourth in stolen bases (19), are first in OPS (.837) and first in batting average (.285).

Seattle still has just a 9.9% chance at making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. The Mariners still have a steep hill to climb to make the postseason.

But Seattle has defied the odds before. And it's already in a much better spot than it was a week ago. Now the Mariners just need to continue that pace.

Related Stories on Seattle Mariners

RODRIGUEZ CONTINUES HOT STREAK IN WIN AGAINST RANGERS: Julio Rodriguez continued to show out for the Seattle Mariners and went 4-for-6 in an 8-4 win against the Texas Rangers on Saturday. CLICK HERE

SEATTLE BULLPEN ELEVATING ITSELF: The Seattle Mariners bullpen, once thought to be one of the main weaknesses of the team, has been one of Seattle's strongest facets in the final stretch of the season. CLICK HERE

HOW 'BAD' HAS RODRIGUEZ ACTUALLY BEEN FOR SEATTLE?: Seattle Mariners franchise cornerstone Julio Rodriguez has received a lot of flack on social media the last week; But a lot of those criticisms may be unfounded. CLICK HERE

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Teren Kowatsch

TEREN KOWATSCH