You never want to benefit because of another teams misfortune, but let's be honest: It happens and it's part of the game.

And if you are able to take advantage of those opportunities when they come, you have a better chance of accomplishing something special in your own season. 

Those opportunities might be there already for the Seattle Mariners.

Over the weekend, we heard that the Houston Astros are dealing with a troublesome situation regarding closer Josh Hader. We got a little more clarity on Wednesday at spring training, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com:

Joe Espada said closer Josh Hader stopped his throwing program because of arm soreness. Imaging revealed inflammation of the biceps tendon, so he has not been throwing for 10 or 11 days. He will resume his throwing program today.

Hader missed the last month and a half of the season in 2025, not appearing in a game after Aug. 8 because of a shoulder issue. The notion that he's still not 100 percent after six months is troubling for Houston, and a potential major factor for the Mariners in the division. Seattle is looking to win the American League West for consecutive seasons for the first time since 2000-01.

Now 31 years old, Hader has been one of the top relievers in the game for years. He went 6-2 in 2025 with a 2.05 ERA, appearing in 48 games. He struck out 76 batters in 52.2 innings, also registering 28 saves.

A nine-year veteran of the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres and Astros, he's 34-31 lifetime with a 2.64 ERA. He has 829 strikeouts in 512.1 career innings because of his upper-90s fastball and wipeout slider.

The Blue Jays, the team that beat the Mariners in the American League Championship Series in 2025, revealed a trio of devastating injuries on Tuesday.

Starting pitcher Shane Bieber will begin the year on the injured list because of arm fatigue. That will force Jose Berrios to the starting rotation, which weakens the bullpen as well. 

Furthermore, Anthony Santander, who hit 44 homers in 2024 for the Orioles and was expected to contribute meaningfully in 2026, is now out for 5-6 months because of shoulder surgery. This weakens the offense as a whole and takes away some of the power potential.

Also, depth starter Bowden Francis is out for the season with Tommy John surgery, whittling away at the team's depth.

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