Where the Mariners stand in playoff odds and latest MLB power rankings

It’s been an exciting week for the Mariners.

First, they signed rookie phenom Julio Rodriguez to a lucrative extension that could make him a Mariner for life. Then, they inducted Ichiro into the team Hall of Fame.

They also took three of four against the Cleveland Guardians in what could be a playoff preview.

So after all that, here’s where national media rank the M’s.

What a cool week for Mariners fans. With an eye to the future, we have Julio Rodríguez hitting the 20/20 mark in his rookie season, then signing a very-complicated-but-potentially-historic contract extension that could keep him in Seattle anywhere from another eight years to as many as 18. Then, of course, with an eye to the past, there was Ichiro being inducted into the Mariners Hall of Fame.

Fortunately for the Mariners, the present is also pretty exciting. While there’s still a month of baseball to play, and probably five (though mathematically speaking, as many as seven) teams fighting for three wild-card positions, the Mariners are currently in the second of those three spots, and control their own destiny as they attempt to make the postseason for the first time since Ichiro’s rookie season of 2001.

C B S Sports: No. 9

I absolutely love the Julio Rodríguez contract for all parties involved. He’s the face of Seattle sports for a long time and will prove worthy of the distinction.

Bleacher Report: No. 9

The Mariners went 4-2 last week, and they have one of the easiest remaining schedules with only eight more games against teams with a winning record. Prized offseason signing Robbie Ray has looked a lot like the 2021 AL Cy Young winner in August, going 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 33 innings over five starts.