SEATTLE – It came in the first inning of the Mariners’ 5-3 loss to the Dodgers.
It was largely unbeknownst to most of the 45,701 fans in attendance, many of whom were wearing Dodger gear, specifically No. 17 Ohtani jerseys, and enjoying a relaxed night at the ballpark with a game that had no immediate postseason ramifications. Though the two-way superstar wasn’t in the lineup for the Dodgers.
While beer was sipped and hot dogs were consumed, the participants in the 2025 American League playoffs were finalized, meaning the Mariners have some clarity as to their potential opponents in next weekend’s American League Division Series at T-Mobile Park.
During the Saturday afternoon sunshine as the Mariners and Dodgers prepared for the penultimate game of the 2025 regular season, the clubhouse televisions and at times the stadium video board showed the Detroit Tigers holding on for a 2-1 victory over Boston at Fenway Park, securing one of the two remaining playoff spots.
That left two teams vying for one spot – the Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians.
It’s no secret who the Mariners fans wanted eliminated.
About five minutes after Julio Rodríguez stole second and third base in the bottom of the first inning to give him the second 30 home/30 stolen base season of his career, the final spot was decided.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth at Progressive Field, left-handed hitting C.J. Kayfus wore a wayward fastball from lefty reliever Robert Garcia of the Rangers off his right shoulder with the bases loaded, giving the Cleveland Guardians a 3-2 walkoff victory and clinching a postseason spot.
For the first time since 2016, the Astros won’t be a participant in the postseason.
Tears won’t be shed in Seattle.
The Mariners will play the winner of the three-game series between the Tigers and Guardians, which starts Tuesday. The location of that series will be determined on Sunday. The two AL Central teams have identical 87-74 records with Cleveland holding the season-series tiebreaker. If the Guardians win, they will win the division and host the wild-card series at Progressive Field. If Cleveland loses and Detroit wins, the Tigers will the wild-card series at Comerica Field.
Seattle went 4-2 against both teams this season.
As for the Mariners second straight loss to the Dodgers in the current series, it did give Los Angeles home-field advantage over Seattle if the two teams meet in the World Series. But the need to rest players and get them healthy for the upcoming ALDS was more important than an ultimate goal that may never be reached.
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the loss was Andres Muñoz struggling in the top of the ninth. The Mariners closer entered with the scored tied at three, and promptly walked the first two batters he faced. He later gave up a two-run double to Hernandez for what would be the game-winning hit.
How M’s playoff schedule could impact Seahawks kickoff times
The Mariners run into the postseason could result in the Seahawks having to adjust the kickoff times for each of their next two home games.
After clinching a bye for the first round of the American League playoffs, the Mariners will host Games 1 and 2 of the American League Divisional Series on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5 at T-Mobile Park. They will face the winner of the three-game AL wild card series between the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers.
With Game 2 of both ALDS series scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 5, there could be a conflict with the Seahawks’ home game against Tampa Bay, which is set for 1:05 p.m. at Lumen Field.
If the Mariners continued to advance through the postseason, there could also be a conflict on Monday, Oct. 20. Game 7 of the American League Championship is scheduled for that Monday, while the Seahawks are slated to host the Houston Texans, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Lumen Field.
Due to limited parking and other logistical issues, the two organizations have tried to avoid playing games with similar start times and usually avoid playing on the same days.
If there is a scheduling conflict, the Mariners have priority as part of a long-standing agreement. They would get first dibs on start times for any playoff games. However, start times are set by Major League Baseball and not the Mariners.