Seattle Mariners Off-Season Outlook
The Seattle Mariners, who made the playoffs, have a lot of holes in their roster. If you look at their stat lines, they do not look like a playoff team, especially hitting stats. However, they made the playoffs and had the clutch gene. This article will look at things that mariners need to do this off-season.
5. Get a backup catcher: The Mariners only have two catchers that have 2022 experience. Those are Cal Raleigh and Tom Murphy. The problem with Murphy is that he cannot consistently stay healthy. He missed all of 2020 and most of 2022 with injuries. If they were to make a free-agent move, I would like either Austin Hedges or Roberto Perez. I like Manny Pina as a trade target too. These would bolster the depth and not be too expensive while also giving Raleigh some days off.
4. Get a left-handed reliever: The Mariners really lacked a solid left-handed reliever for most of the year. They didn’t have that on the roster. Taylor Rogers and Brad Hand could sign. Gregory Soto would fill that role.
3. Trade a Starting Pitcher: The Mariners are in a position that every MLB team wants to be in. They have too many starting pitchers. Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Robbie Ray will be locked into the rotation next year. They have Chris Flexen and Marco Gonzales as viable trade candidates. They also have Matt Brash, Emerson Hancock, and Taylor Dollard either in the bullpen or in the minors. I think Flexen is a more valuable trade candidate because he’s younger and cheaper, but I could see both of them being traded for the positions I will talk about next.
2. Get/Trade an Outfielder: This is a really interesting spot for the Mariners. They have both too many and too few outfielders. You have Julio Rodriguez and Teoscar Hernandez as locks in the lineups, but they need a lock-in third outfielder. You have Jesse Winker, who I see being traded this off-season. They also have Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell, Sam Haggerty, and Dylan Moore as 4th outfielder types or utility players. If I were to pick between Winker, Kelenic, and Trammell, I would take Trammell. He has the versatility over Winker and has proven more than Kelenic. If they were to go to free agency, I would like Cody Bellinger, Joey Gallo, or Brandon Nimmo. I know everyone wants Aaron Judge, but we aren’t going to get him. Bellinger and Gallo are former top players who had an off year or two, and Nimmo is an underrated outfielder. I think a trade target for the Mariners is Bryan Reynolds. He is an all-star outfielder who would fit perfectly into the Mariner's lineup.
1. Get a Second baseman: This is the number one need because they just don’t have anyone you trust there. They have Abraham Toro and Dylan Moore as the best in-house options. We could get one of the big shortstops and move J.P. Crawford to second, but I don't see that happening. The Mariners don’t usually spend that much money on one player. So I see a trade being more likely. They have already shown interest in Gleyber Torres and Kolten Wong. I really like Wong. He is a more powerful and better defender than Adam Frazier, their main second baseman last year. He wouldn’t cost that much to get.
So these are the biggest Mariner's off-season moves that need to happen. I don’t know if all of these are happening, but I believe these should happen.
