The Seattle Mariners clinched a spot in the 2022 MLB playoffs for the first time since 2001. This was the longest active drought in North American sports. Cal Raleigh hit the walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, September 30, sending the entire stadium into a frenzy. Seattle manager Scott Servais said after the game, “It’s better than maybe what you could dream it to be.” Raleigh came into the game as a pinch-hitter and got a 3-2 pitch from Domingo Acevedo that just stayed fair. “I remember the moment when I knew it was fair and looking at the team and everybody’s jumping. It was just crazy,” Raleigh said.
I think I speak for everyone when I say I was glad to hear this news. I’m not a Mariners fan, but I could understand the frustration that Mariners fans felt from 2002-2021. I hope I get to see my Phillies make the playoffs again someday!
Seattle’s clinching means that the longest active playoff drought in the main 4 sports now belongs to the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. The Kings haven’t reached the NBA playoffs since 2005-06. The last time Seattle went to the playoffs they tied the MLB record by winning 116 games in the regular season, but lost 4 games to 1 in the American League Championship Series to the New York Yankees. The Mariners are the only current team to never reach the World Series. Will that change this year? We’ll see.
