Seattle Mariners Remain in Playoff Race Despite Awful Start to Crucial Series

The Seattle Mariners have lost the first two games of a critical series with the Texas Rangers, but thanks to some help, remain very much alive in the American League Playoff picture.

After two devastating losses to start the series with the Texas Rangers, the Seattle Mariners are still in the thick of the American League playoff race.

The M's entered this series at 0.5 games back in the American League West race and tied for the third and final wild card spot, but have fallen 8-5 and 2-0 in the first two games of the series.

Though they are now 2.0 games back in the division, they remain just 0.5 games back in the wild card race thanks to back-to-back losses from the Houston Astros.

The Mariners haven't looked very good against the Rangers - they haven't held a lead at any point in the series.

The M's got down 8-0 on Friday night before mounting a comeback that resulted in them leaving the bases loaded in both the sixth and ninth innings, and then failed to cash in on multiple opportunities on Saturday night.

But despite all of that, the Mariners still hold their fate largely in their own hands. After the series finale with the Rangers on Sunday afternoon, they'll play the Astros and Rangers for the last seven games of the season. They will have every opportunity to win games, make up ground, and separate, but it won't be easy.

The Astros are set to roll with Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier and Justin Verlander in that upcoming series.

Before then, the M's and Rangers wrap up the series on Sunday at 2:35 p.m. ET.

Rookie Bryan Woo draws the tough matchup for Seattle in what feels like a must-win game.

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