Timing is so important in baseball. A team can look like an absolute powerhouse destined to enjoy a couple champagne showers in October and maybe even a parade in November. Then the next week everything falls apart, and the mind can't even compute the idea of postseason baseball, let alone a World Series title. Unfortunately for them and their fans, the Seattle Mariners are experiencing the latter, to full effect.

Actually, every competitive American League West ballclub has been brought to its knees at some point during September. Only the Mariners (84-72), though, are currently outside the MLB playoffs picture. They have lost four critical games in a row, marking the fourth time this month Seattle has had a losing streak of three or more games.

After bringing a merciful end to the league's longest postseason drought in 2022, this team is dangerously close to resuming their annual Fall golf outings. But perhaps there is still a dose of magic hidden away at T-Mobile Park, just waiting to stun the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers this week.

The M's, as explained by George Jarjour, have a lot of work to do in their last six games if they are to erase a one-and-a-half-game deficit in the AL Wild Card standings. Though, just in case they do find a way into this October bash, we are going to prepare you for all of the drama.

That includes outlining their roughest potential road to an improbable, and presently unfathomable World Series trip. Let's break down the Mariners' nightmare seeding scenario and matchups for the 2023 MLB playoffs.

Just get in and clinch the No. 6 seed

Seattle does not have the luxury of being picky about a potential postseason opponent. With two games against the defending champions and four versus arguably the hottest team in baseball right now, Scott Servais' squad is in serious trouble. Luckily, the Mariners have a propensity for abruptly exploding.

They have been hot and cold throughout 2023, so a momentous run cannot be ruled out. Boasting the league's third-best team ERA helps, too. Julio Rodriguez has dipped since his torrid August, but he is still wielding a big bat. The two-time All-Star has the ability to thrive under this immense pressure and propel Seattle beyond the regular season.

If the franchise can thrillingly punch its ticket to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2000-01, the entire fan base will likely need to be pinched. However, there is still a way for the good vibes to be quickly dampened.

While grabbing one of the last two AL Wild Card slots definitely warrants praise, another first-round exit falls short of the expectations the franchise and many others had for 2023. Heck, some of us believed the M's could win the World Series. So, one can argue that winning a series would only make this season a success.

Accomplishing that goal might hinge heavily on the luck of the draw.

Rays not ideal draw for Mariners

The 2023 MLB playoffs bracket remains very much in flux. The Minnesota Twins' status as the No. 3 seed hasn't been in doubt for a long time and the Tampa Bay Rays are basically locked in at the No. 4 slot. Everything else is yet to be decided, though. Seattle trails the Toronto Blue Jays by two-and-a-half games for the second Wild Card position, so if the club wins out, the No. 5 seed is possibly attainable.

That would put the Mariners on a flight to St. Petersburg. They went 3-4 in the head-to-head battle with Tampa, and a best-of-three series does not seem much more promising. Although the Rays' lack of starting pitching depth can be exploited, manager Scott Servais doesn't have the artillery to really make them pay. His lineup, despite having some pop, hits just .243 overall (ranked 20th in MLB).

Therefore, Minnesota is the optimal first-round draw. This hypothetical matchup should be good for a pitching duel or two, but the M's are the more talented group. Furthermore, they have the necessary depth to win games late. Assuming the fans are gifted their first playoff series win in 22 years, the real trouble could be coming.

Rangers are a nightmare scenario

Texas currently leads Houston by two-and-a-half games in the AL West and wraps up its season with a visit to T-Mobile Park this weekend. Bruce Bochy has his guys playing well again, while the Astros have been a see-saw of late. For our purposes, we will give the Rangers the division, and by extension the No. 2 seed in the AL. The Mariners obviously want a meeting with the Twins, but it will come at some cost.

Texas has absolutely owned Seattle in 2023, winning eight of nine games. Victory has been claimed in every way imaginable. The Rangers have prevailed in pitching battles, slugfests and via blowout (outscored M's 28-9 over a two-day stretch in June). Until recently, fans could take solace in knowing that the majority of those wins came early in the season and under low stakes. That is no longer the case.

Seattle was swept in Arlington last week in a series filled with significant October implications. Things change quickly in baseball, but based on what we know right now, it might be risky to predict a change in this worrisome trend. The Mariners might be due, but Bochy is tough to deny in the postseason.

There is a silver lining, however. In order for Rodriguez and company to even reach the MLB playoffs, they will need to get the better of the Rangers in the last four games of the regular season. Presumably, that would leave them more prepared for a potential ALDS clash.

But a lot has to happen before that fantasy becomes a reality. Keep the faith alive and hold onto your sanity. Emotions are going to be high, one way or another.