Can you imagine how much tenser this month would have felt just 11 years ago? For all of you zoomers out there, prior to the 2012 season, only one Wild Card team made the playoffs. As of right now, the Mariners are tied with Tampa for the top Wild Card spot. The seeding does matter — the Mariners are guaranteed to host multiple playoff games if they finish ahead of Tampa and Toronto. Prior to 2012, though, the stakes would have felt much higher.

As it is, the Mariners are virtually guaranteed to earn a playoff berth at this point. No, I don’t believe that it’s bad luck to say that. If I have the power to jinx this team out of a playoff spot, we all have much bigger problems.

That said, the Rays and Jays just played each other twice, are in the middle of a third game, and then play six additional times over the remainder of the season. Someone has to lose those games. One hopes that the Mariners can continue to stay hot and pull ahead of their Eastern rivals.

News and Notes from Pre-game

• Scott Servais noted pre-game that Mitch Haniger is experiencing “soreness in his low back” after his back “locked up on him” during the game on Sunday. Haniger will be held out tonight. Given that the Mariners play an early game tomorrow, Servais said that it’s possible Haniger misses tomorrow as well.
• Regarding Dylan Moore, Servais stated the the plan is for him to join the team on its upcoming ten-game road trip, and hopefully be activated at some point during the trip.

Lineups

Game time: 6:40 PM PT

TV: Root Sports NW

Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports Station

Streaming: MLB.tv (out of region only)