Seattle Mariners' Rivals on a Worrisome Upward Trend
![The Seattle Mariners' Victor Robles gets back to first against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday at Anaheim Stadium. The Seattle Mariners' Victor Robles gets back to first against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday at Anaheim Stadium.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_8256,h_4644,x_0,y_40/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_mariners/01j2x38rpt3m2aebx7et.jpg)
Going into the All-Star break, the Seattle Mariners own a 1.0 game lead in the American League West and have lost seven of their last eight series.
The Mariners' first series out of the All-Star break will be a three-game series at home against those same Astros. Houston has been trailing Seattle by one game or two for the better part of three weeks. The two teams haven't been able to separate much in that time as they have both tended to lose or win on the same day.
The series against Houston offers Seattle a direct chance to push the Astros back down the AL West and rebuild some breathing room.
Unfortunately for the Mariners, Houston is on one of the best runs in the league.
Since June 1, the Astros have the best record in the American League at 25-13, according to Statmuse. The Mariners are 17th in the league at 20-19. Seattle is hitting .215 over that stretch while Houston is hitting .269
The Mariners have a few positive trends coming out of the All-Star break. The first is the potential return to form of franchise star Julio Rodriguez. He's hitting .447 in 12 games in July with three home runs and six RBIs and has scored seven times.
For all of those wondering, Julio Rodriguez is in fact BACKđź‘€ pic.twitter.com/KUcloHehfC
— EastCoastM’s🔱 (@EastCoastMs_) July 13, 2024
Victor Robles has also been a bright spot for Seattle. He's hitting .417 in July with three steals, a home run and two RBIs.
And, of course, there's the pitching. Seattle is the only team with three starters of 10 or more quality starts as of the All-Star break.
Though the M's have slumped, there are positive signs there. If they can put it together, then they could start rebuilding a lead in the division that was at double-digits not that long ago.
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
ROBLES MAKING A CASE FOR HIMSELF: Victor Robles has been one of the Seattle Mariners' most consistent hitters in his limited chances since joining the team in June. CLICK HERE
MARINERS ACCOMPLISH SEASON FIRST: The Seattle Mariners stole three bases in a single inning for the first time this season on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels. CLICK HERE
MARINERS REACH DISAPPOINTING MILESTONE: The Seattle Mariners struck out for the 1,000th time this season in a 3-2 loss against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. CLICK HERE
Follow Inside the Mariners on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady