Mariners Hold Key Edge Over Rangers in Tight Wild Card Race Down the Stretch

The AL wild card race is tightening up.

Apr 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; A Texas Rangers cap and baseball mitt sit on the dugout steps during a game against the Athletics at Globe Life Field. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers are one of the hottest teams in baseball since the start of the second half of the season, but the Seattle Mariners still have their number and if the season were to end today they wouldn't make the postseason.

The race to the postseason in the AL West has been primarily led by the Houston Astros with both the Mariners and the Rangers hot on their heels.

So, if the Rangers can't get to postseason play through the division title, then it will have to come through the wild card. The American League sends three teams to the playoffs regardless of their division.

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Right now, the last wild card spot is held by their division rivals- the Mariners. They sit at 60-53 overall, which gives them a two-game lead over the Rangers.

This season, Seattle has beaten Texas on 10 separate occasions. Thank goodness that the Rangers are done with them for the 2025 regular season, as they are 3-10 against the ball club.

One could say that Eugenio Suárez, who has 36 homers and 87 RBI on the year, has been the biggest problem for their pitching staff, but none of those have come in a Mariners' uniform as he only just recently joined their ballclub in a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Suárez's first series for the Mariners was against the Rangers and he went without a run in all three games, but Seattle still took a 2-1 series victory.

Aug 3, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. | John Froschauer-Imagn Images

As long as their wild card hopes don't rely on their ability to beat the Mariners then they will be all set, but there is a scenario where the Rangers will have to face them again. It just won't come until the postseason.

For the majority of the season it was looking like the AL East could send two additional teams to the postseason, but the AL West might have something to say about that.

Those three wild card spots are up for grabs by any team even though the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox would get into the postseason if it were to be decided today.

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The AL wild card spots are going to come down to whoever can perform now after the trade deadline has come and gone. The Rangers get to leave Seattle and head home to face off with the Yankees in what could be a showdown for that last spot.

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