Rob Manfred has been the MLB Commissioner since 2015. Since then, the value of teams has almost doubled, from $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion. He has also greatly increased inter-league play, from 20 games per team to 46 games per team. But his most recent scheduling choices have received criticism. Case in point: The AL West division race between the Astros and the Mariners.

The Mariners’ good position in the AL West race shows how unfair modern baseball scheduling can be. Seattle has a comfortable two-game lead over Houston with seven games left to play, but its remaining opponents are not as tough as those of other contenders. Former Red Sox infielder Jeff Frye captured widespread frustration with his pointed social media criticism of the current system. “I love the last week of the @MLB season when teams are fighting for the Playoffs against their Division Rivals! Well, at least that used to be the case before Rob Manfred took the helm,” Frye tweeted.

His criticism centered on the Mariners facing the woeful 43-113 Colorado Rockies during September 23-25, precisely when playoff positioning hangs in the balance. “The @Mariners are battling it out with the @astros for the American League West title, and for some odd reason they are playing the 43-113 @Rockies, a National League team in the heat of a pennant race? Why?” Frye’s question exposes how Manfred’s scheduling philosophy has divorced late-season baseball from its natural competitive drama.

The scheduling controversy gains urgency as Houston’s playoff hopes hang by a thread. The Astros suffered a devastating 6-4 loss to Seattle on Saturday night, falling two games behind the Mariners (86-69) and losing the crucial tiebreaker. With Seattle’s easier schedule, Houston faces near-elimination from division contention while simultaneously battling Cleveland for the third AL Wild Card spot. Both teams sit at 84-71, but the red-hot Guardians hold the tiebreaker after winning 10 consecutive games.

The Astros are now on the outside looking in, and their fate is partly determined by scheduling problems that favor their division rivals. If they do miss out on the playoffs, it will be the first time since 2016 that the Astros won’t be playing October baseball. This situation is a perfect example of how Manfred’s focus on TV money and interleague games has ruined the natural competitive balance that used to make September baseball so exciting.

Just 24 hours later, the theory became brutally real when Seattle showed how these unfair scheduling practices can affect the outcome of the championship in the sport’s final act.

The Seattle Mariners Capitalize on Schedule Advantage

When Seattle dealt Houston’s division dreams a final blow, the scheduling problem became painfully clear. The Seattle Mariners beat the Astros 7-3 on Sunday night, finishing off a tough three-game sweep that made the AL West race a sure thing instead of a close one.

J.P. Crawford hit a grand slam that broke the game wide open, and Cal Raleigh hit his 58th home run of the season, which is the most in the major leagues. Raleigh’s record-breaking blast to right field came after an incredible performance that put the Mariners in complete control of their first possible AL West title since 2001.

Seattle has been on a roll, winning four games in a row and 14 of their last 15. The sweep puts them in a strong position with a three-game lead over Houston and only six games left. It also gives them the second American League playoff spot, ahead of Detroit, which has lost six in a row.

Houston’s problems get worse because they are now tied with Cleveland for the last AL wild card spot. Their streak of making the playoffs since 2016 is on the line. Seattle, on the other hand, is getting ready to host Colorado starting on Tuesday. They will be playing a team that is 43-113, while their rivals are fighting for their lives.