What Mariners must do to win a wild card spot.

A look at the remaining schedule of the Seattle Mariners, Oakland A’s, and Kansas City Royals could indicate how things will play out. The won-lost records, home and away, given below are before Wednesday nights game.

Oakland is hosting the Phillies the 19th-21st while Seattle is at Houston and Kansas City is hosting the Tigers.  It looks good for Oakland as they are 45-28 at home and the Phillies are 33-40 on the road. It also looks good for Seattle as they have the best road record in baseball at 43-29 and Houston at home is 36-40. Detroit and Kansas City are battling for both a division title and a wild card. It will be a tough series for both. Kansas City at home is 40-36, but the Tigers are 43-34 on the road.

Oakland will then play the Angels in a four game series at home and while the Angels have the division title I don’t think they will let up on the A’s. The Angels have a winning record on the road. Kansas City will be at Cleveland to finish a suspended game preceding the first game of the series in what essentially is a four game series. Meanwhile Seattle will be in Toronto for a four game set. Seattle fans should send brooms to the Angels and Indians hoping for a couple of sweeps. These four game series should be the key games that decide who wins the wild card slot.

The season wraps up with Oakland playing three at Texas and Seattle hosting the Angels. The A’s have a definite advantage here as the Mariners do not play well at home and the Angels could be going to the World Series if they get past the Orioles. It would be best for the M’s if they have things wrapped up before this series, but that is unlikely. Kansas City finishes at Chicago and the White Sox are having a bad season.

Seattle has lost six of eight and with Oakland playing the majority of their games at home and Kansas City playing an easier schedule, if the Mariners do not rev up their engine and kick into a higher gear they will be docking the Good Ship Mariner before the post season.