Mariners Game #161 Preview: 9/30/23, TEX @ SEA

Moments ago, the Blue Jays lost. Add that to the Mariners’ last two nights, and people are feeling good. But the vibes notwithstanding, the Mariners remain in a tough spot—there are 7 scenarios where the Mariners make the playoffs, but 11 where they don’t. Here’s a visual guide:

The Mariners can’t clinch a playoff spot tonight, but they can be eliminated if they lose and Houston wins.

Overall, it’s a pretty remarkable situation. With only two games left in the season, all three of the Mariners, Rangers, and Astros could end up winning the division, winning a wild card, or missing the playoffs entirely. I can’t recall that ever happening before. Maybe it will happen more often with the additional wild cards?

Given the circumstances, there’s no one I’d rather have on the mound for the next two days. Tonight, Luis Castillo takes the bump tonight for his final start of the regular season. George Kirby goes tomorrow. The high-leverage arms in the bullpen are all rested. Even Bryce Miller is available.

LFG.

Lineups

Mariners and Rangers on Twitter

This J.P. Crawford kid is hitting leadoff again for the Mariners tonight. He might be good.

The Rangers lineup looks as relentless as ever. Right until you get to the bottom and see the name next to P. Andrew Heaney has had a rough year, demoted to the bullpen and only starting today as an injury fill-in. Add to that the fact that the Mariners have historically hit pretty well against him, and there’s hope.

With all the strum and drang about the Mariners use of platoons, they’re a little bit between a rock and a hard place today. Heaney’s a lefty but isn’t stretched out, so he’ll probably get pulled early. The middle innings will then probably be pitched by righties, but then the back of the Rangers bullpen is lefty. Faced with that situation, the Mariners have split the difference with Rojas starting but Kelenic on the bench.

Game Info

First pitch: 4:15 PT
TV: Fox (but if, like me, you’re in an area where Fox is showing Red Sox-Orioles, the Mariners game is on MLB.TV/the MLB app, assuming you have the package)
Radio: 710 KIRO

This Day in Mariners History

Oh, nothing much.

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