Mariners Clinch First-Round Bye, Advance to AL Division Series

The Seattle Mariners have clinched the No. 2 seed in the American League playoffs. That means they’ll skip the first round and get a coveted bye, setting up what could be an electrifying postseason run.

This came after the Cleveland Guardians fell 4-2 to the Detroit Tigers, which knocked Cleveland out of contention. With the Mariners now guaranteed to skip the grind of the best-of-three Wild Card round, fans can set their sights on the AL Division Series at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, October 4.

The No. 2 seed is locked in, but Seattle’s push for the top spot isn’t quite dead yet. The road ahead, though, looks pretty daunting.

Mariners Secure First-Round Bye in Style

Clinching the No. 2 seed is a big deal. The Mariners get to rest during the Wild Card round while their potential opponents battle it out in short, high-pressure series.

This gives Seattle extra prep time and keeps their pitching rotation fresh. That’s a huge edge in October baseball.

Seattle locked up this milestone without even taking the field. Cleveland’s loss to Detroit did the trick, mathematically closing the door on the Guardians’ playoff hopes and securing Seattle’s top-two spot.

How the Playoff Picture is Shaping Up

The top two American League seeds will be the Mariners and the winner of the tight AL East race between the Yankees and Blue Jays. New York and Toronto have been neck and neck all year, making these final days pretty intense.

Right now, Seattle holds the No. 2 slot, but the No. 1 seed is still technically within reach. There’s a twist, though: Seattle doesn’t own the season-series tiebreaker against either New York or Toronto, which complicates things.

The Battle for the No. 1 Seed

Mariners fans are celebrating, but there’s still plenty of scoreboard watching left. Both the Yankees and Blue Jays won their season series against Seattle, so the Mariners have to finish one game ahead of each rival to snag the top seed.

That’s not an easy ask, especially with the standings this tight. As of Thursday night, Seattle trailed both AL East contenders by a single game.

If they beat the Colorado Rockies, they keep pace. A loss, though, would stretch the gap to two games—which feels like a mountain with so few regular-season games left.

Why the Top Seed Matters

Holding the No. 1 seed means home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. That’s often decisive in October, letting a team play in front of their own fans in the biggest moments and avoid the grind of travel.

T-Mobile Park has been a fortress this year, and strong home performance has boosted the Mariners’ confidence. Securing the top seed wouldn’t just be for show—it could make a real difference in how deep this run goes.

What’s Next for the Mariners

Seattle’s immediate focus is beating the Rockies to keep pace. After that, they’ll need to grab every last opportunity and hope the Yankees and Blue Jays slip up somewhere.

It’s a balancing act—steady play, a little bit of luck, and maybe a few surprises down the stretch.

Key Takeaways from Seattle’s Playoff Situation

Here’s where the Mariners stand right now:

• No. 2 seed clinched – They’ve locked in a first-round bye and head straight to the AL Division Series.
• Top seed chase still alive – Seattle needs to finish one game ahead of both the Yankees and Blue Jays to snag the top spot.
• No tiebreaker advantage – They lost the season series to both AL East contenders, so no help there.
• Home game guarantee – ALDS games will kick off at T-Mobile Park on October 4.

With a big milestone in the bag, the Mariners are eyeing that top American League spot. Sure, the odds aren’t great, but baseball’s weird like that—momentum can flip everything. Isn’t it possible October gets wild?

 
Here is the source article for this story: Seattle Mariners clinch a first-round bye into AL Division Series