The start of the MLB postseason is near, and several teams are battling for a place on the road to the World Series. Despite recent struggles, the Seattle Mariners continue to fight for the American League Wild Card, with a rough stretch putting their playoff hopes to the test. Seattle has dropped 14 of its last 20 games, including being swept in three straight by the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this week. Their skid also features a 2-12 record over their last 14 road games, leaving them at 73-67 after once being 14 games above .500 just a few weeks ago.

The fall in the standings has been significant, but not decisive. On August 12, the Mariners were tied with the Houston Astros for the AL West lead and the top Wild Card spot. Three weeks and 14 losses later, they now sit four games behind Houston and trail both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees by 4.5 games for the first two Wild Card slots. Even so, they still hold the final AL playoff spot, with a 1.5-game lead over the Texas Rangers.

MLB Network analysts noted that while the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians remain in the mix, the Rangers appear to be the closest threat for the final Wild Card. They emphasized that unless Seattle turns things around quickly, any of those teams could build momentum and push them out. Still, some analysts expressed confidence that the Mariners could “find a way” to get back on track with a favorable schedule ahead.

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The Rangers, however, have not fully capitalized on Seattle’s slump. Though they put together a nine-game surge in 10 outings, they stumbled by dropping two of three to Arizona. As a result, the Mariners’ edge in the race for the third Wild Card remains intact. Their issues on the road have been balanced by stronger play at T-Mobile Park, where they own a 41-27 record. With 13 of their final 19 games scheduled at home, that advantage could prove critical.

Looking forward, Seattle will face a three-game series in Houston later this month, providing a direct opportunity to cut into the Astros’ divisional lead. For now, the immediate test comes in a weekend series against Atlanta, where the Braves have dropped five of their last seven. If the Mariners can stabilize in Atlanta and take advantage of their upcoming home-heavy stretch, they could keep a firm hold on the Wild Card in the final weeks of the season.