Surging Mariners clinch playoff berth and close in on AL West title

SEATTLE – The surging Seattle Mariners clinched a spot in the postseason on Tuesday night, but they hope the real celebrations are yet to come.

Seattle earned the playoff berth with a dramatic 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies after getting some help from the New York Yankees, who beat the Chicago White Sox earlier Tuesday. Josh Naylor provided the big hit, a bases-clearing double with two outs in the eighth inning after Seattle had generated little offense against the major league-worst Rockies.

“We’ve still got work to do, obviously, but you never know when you’re going to get this opportunity again so we’re going to celebrate tonight,” catcher Cal Raleigh said.

The Mariners now have their eye on their first AL West title since 2001. Seattle moved four games ahead of the Houston Astros — who lost to the Athletics — and can wrap up the division as early as Wednesday.

“This is a special group. They’ve shown it all season long,” manager Dan Wilson said. “There is a lot of work to do, starting with the division. Hopefully we get that done sooner than later and we keep going. But there is a lot ahead of us, and I think this team is ready and primed for it.”

The Mariners are also in position for the second seed in the American League, and can secure that spot as early as Thursday if they sweep the Rockies. That would give Seattle a first-round playoff bye.

This is the Mariners’ second playoff berth since 2001 and the sixth in franchise history. They ended a 21-year postseason drought in 2022, losing in the divisional round to the Astros. Seattle finished one game out of a wild-card spot in each of the past two seasons.

“We know the hunger the fan base has, and that motivates us to be out here and do the best that we can every single night,” center fielder Julio Rodríguez said. “We know the history, but we’re trying to write something different for this city and this town now.”

This year, the Mariners could be the hottest team entering the postseason. Led by slugging catcher Raleigh and his major league-leading 58 homers, Seattle has won 15 of 16 games and is coming off a sweep at Houston to take control of the division race.

“It’s taken a few years, but it makes this moment very nice. That’s the goal, right? Win the World Series and remember those moments you’ll never forget. That’s what we’re thinking, and we’re not done yet,” Raleigh said. “The last couple years have just been very painful at the end of the year. You come so close and you work so hard every year, and to come up short, it’s that much more satisfying when you do get the job done.”

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