The Mariners are losing King Felix in the middle of their Wild Card push

Felix Hernandez could be out for up to a month with shoulder bursitis.

The Mariners’ Felix Hernandez has been on the DL for almost a week now, since August 2nd, but the team has now announced that King Felix will now be out for an extended period of time with shoulder bursitis.

The injury, which is the same thing that caused him to miss time earlier this season, could keep him out as long as 3-4 weeks and into September.

A few weeks ago, that wouldn’t have been quite as depressing as it is now since the Mariners seemed more or less out of the playoff hunt with only the most tenuous of threads to hold on to for hope.

But now, Seattle is only one game back from the Royals for the second wild card spot in the American League. So while there’s no way the M’s are leaping over the Astros in their division, the postseason isn’t out of the question.

With Hernandez out, it makes those chances a little less realistic.

Felix isn’t the only one heading to the DL for the Mariners either, as deadline acquisition David Phelps will also be out for 2-3 weeks with an impingement in his elbow, limiting the Mariners’ relief options as well.

While the team could weather both of these injuries and leapfrog the teams necessary to secure a wild card slot, it’s got to be slightly disheartening for yet another extended period of time without Felix to arise during one of the most important stretches of their season.