In a chat with reporters today, including Corey Brock of The Athletic, Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said that he has the blessing of club chairman John Stanton increase spending this winter. Dipoto stopped short of committing to anything, however, making sure to keep his words vague.
“We do have payroll flexibility, and we’re going to use it to make the team better,” Dipoto said. He continued, “It’s incumbent on us to go add where we can add and improve where we think we can improve. That’s not lost on us. We’ll visit every avenue to do that…We’re just looking to add talent.”
Of course, it makes a lot of sense that the Mariners would be looking to open the proverbial checkbook this offseason, for a couple of reasons. For one thing, they’re coming off a surprise 90-win campaign that saw them stay in the AL Wild Card race until the final day of the season. And secondly, this year’s payroll was less than half of what it was just a few seasons ago.
According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the team payroll got as high a notch above $160MM in 2018. It was after that year’s 89-win campaign that Dipoto and the Mariners famously, or infamously, decided to strip down both the roster and payroll and start rebuilding again. That winter, they unloaded Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, James Paxton, Jean Segura and others, endured two straight losing seasons in 2019 and 2020, before opening this year’s campaign with a payroll under $75MM.
Potent bats will certainly be a primary target in the coming months. “We do want to make our lineup longer,” said Dipoto. “We would like to add offense.” In spite of their 90 wins, their 697 runs scored this season put them tied for 22nd in the majors in that category, and better than just three teams in the American League. (Royals, Orioles and Rangers.)
Kyle Seager, Dylan Moore, Jarred Kelenic and Tom Murphy all got over 300 plate appearances with Seattle this season and posted below-average offensive numbers, by measure of wRC+. Seager is likely to depart in free agency, as it seems doubtful the club wants to pick up his $20MM option. That creates one obvious area of potential improvement. Abraham Toro has been floated as Seager’s possible heir at third base, but his wRC+ of 99 since coming over from the Astros matches Seager’s number on the year. If the Mariners want to improve on the infield, they’ll have lots of options, as the market has stars like Marcus Semien and Kris Bryant, as well as solid regulars such as Chris Taylor, Eduardo Escobar, Josh Harrison or Brad Miller.
The club will also be on the hunt for pitching, as Dipoto said it is “going to be a focus for us. The likelihood for us is it’s going to come as a starter.” Seattle’s rotation certainly has room for improvement, as it was fairly pedestrian this year, ranking 19th in ERA, 23rd in strikeout rate, 13th in walk rate and 22nd in WAR. They will also be losing deadline-pickup Tyler Anderson to free agency, leaving them with a rotation of Marco Gonzales, Chris Flexen and Logan Gilbert. Yusei Kikuchi would have seemed like a lock to be in that group a few months ago, but had a terrible second half and got bumped from the rotation in September. The Mariners will likely decline their four-year option over him, but Kikuchi would still likely return in that scenario as he would then have a player option valued at $13MM. Whether they want to give him another shot or figure out another path forward remains to be seen. Prospects like Matt Brash, George Kirby and Emerson Hancock could help out eventually, but none of them have big league experience as of yet.
This year’s crop of free agent starters is loaded, with the top end featuring names like Max Scherzer, Robbie Ray, Marcus Stroman and Kevin Gausman, though they could also aim for buy-low wildcards like Chris Archer, Zack Greinke or taking a flyer on James Paxton again.
Regardless of how it plays out, it should be interesting, as it always is when “Trader Jerry” is involved. Although, it seems there’s at least a chance that this offseason is focused less on wild trades and more on straightforward additions in free agency.
MORE. TRADES. JERRY.
Would Eric Hosmer be a option providing hosmer can’t block a trade to Seattle and the Padres kick in quite a bit of cash.
1. The Mariners aren’t really looking for a 1B – Ty France has that position locked down.
2. Hosmer can block a trade to Seattle.
3. The Mariners would never instigate a trade for a position they’re kind of deep at (would think that Evan White becomes more of a 1B/OF kind of guy if France proves he can hold down the position into 2022, and Luis Torrens can also play it solid enough.
4. The Mariners would not eat money for a position they’re deep at – I’d assume they would use money to improve other positions.
No one wants Eric Hosmer. DiPoto got Ty France and schooled Preller on how easy it is to find a 1B
Literally the first 1B Dipoto has found for the M’s… unless you count Nola as a 1B.
Lind
Dae Ho Lee
Valencia
Alonso
Healy
Encarnacion
Vogelbach
White
France has been the best by far.
A GG player or France explain how France has been better. I know the bat convo will be brought up convienly but if opposite wouldn’t matter. White needs to stay in AAA until his bat improves his injury can be an excuse to keep him down.
To me I would see France go from 1/3/DH This also means Seager coming back and be happy with 3/DH. Toro can play 2nd until Marte is up or they sign one in the OF but doubtful.
The fact you admit that White needs to stay in AAA should be evidence enough that France is better.
Eric Hosmer is trash. No team wants him
Great post space 1222
1B is not a position any team is looking to lock down on a guy like Hosmer
Its going to be all about the package of prospects back the other teams getting IMo making it liker (if he even waives his NT) he gets traded to a rebuilding team-
This even assuming Preller wants to play that card again w the farm… Prolly best SD just waits a year till the contract at least kicks down to 13 ill from the 22 he’s getting paid this year. Maybe hope for slight rebound as well
What does it take for some fans to understand that Hosmer is not good. Nobody wants him as a starting first baseman. Enough already.
It’s a common thing Yankees fans use to throw around guys will would draw minimum to no trade interest jacoby ellsbury as if he had value in trades for stars, braves fans ender Inciarte ( particularly for kris Bryant ) Mets with Jd Davis and dom smith , and Padres with hosmer and to a lesser degree Myers
Davis and Smith at least have some value. Davis can hit, Smith is young, has potential. All Hosmer has is a bad contract.
The only problem with this is that Eric Hosmer is absolute trash and would be a considerable downgrade for Seattle.
Other than that, sure why not?!
Might be difficult to sign any players if he doesn’t plan to talk to them for four years.
Is that really a big problem? They’re probably happier not talking to the GM.
Seager didn’t seem to happy about it.
Jerry is a shyster & a clown. 20yrs in a row missing the post season -soon to be 21- but who’s counting? Ahahahaha!
The most entertaining FO guy in MLB next to Preller. Brodie Van Wagenen was in their league.
Dipoto might well be the best roster churner of the 3.
DiPoto hasn’t been there since 2001
Yeah, because DiPoto is the reason they’ve missed the postseason for 20 years… your comment is asinine.
To be fair, Dipoto has been here for 6 seasons. He’s got more than a quarter of those 20 years.
And half of those years they were rebuilding.
And another couple seasons were with inherited players
How is that different than every other GM in the world? Very few GMs in any sport make it 6 years and get an extension, with zero playoff berths to show for it.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the direction of the team, but Dipoto has a lot to prove yet. He has accomplished nothing so far.
this coming from someone who’s user name is LITERALLY A CLOWN WHO HASN’T WON IN MORE 60 YEARS?
That being said, as an M’s fan of more than 30 years… Jerry Dipoto makes me miss Jack Z. At least then we had guys around long enough it was worth it to buy their jerseys.
They don’t need a short stop and doubt guys like Bryant or mad max would sign with them but they can be in play for anyone else in free agency and maybe another semi big guy after that
They do not need any infielders. Keep Seager another year. His BA was down, but it was fantastic with RISP. He had career highs in HRs and RBIs , and provided valuable leaddership. 11 years he has put in with the team, so if you over pay him a few million for the final season it is money well spent. Crawford, Toro and France should be locked in the other IF positions with Dylan Moore and Shed Long in reserve. Plus they will have Evan White in AAA, and top prospect Marte in the wings. Spend the money acquiring pitching.
Bryant theoretically can help them in the infield and outfield but he’s not gonna choose them , so gotta remove him
Nice to see someone see the value in bringing back Kyle for 1 more year. They have plenty of payroll space to overpay him by a few million. He deserves it as a hall of Fame Mariner.Even if one of the FA infielder want to come to Seattle they can rotate players through the DH spot and there will be injury time to fill. Dipoto talked about lengthening the lineup. Subbing out Kyle for a new addition doesn’t lengthen the lineup We need to learn from the positional depth of teams like the Dodgers. Injuries happen. One more premium infielder isn’t too much. We don’t know that Toro will make it for sure. Dustin Ackley looked like he was going to be a star before he wasn’t, just as one example. Pickng up Kyle’s option is a bridge year. After that we will see how things shake out.
I’ve said this in public to other friends. He is the clubhouse leader of this team, look at that final moment on the field. And maybe bringing him back gives the M’s a shot at signing his little brother. JP or Toro are easily replaceable by a guy the likes of Corey Seager
I actually feel like Trevor Story is a very logical fit for the M’s. I also feel like they have to roll with Torro at third. Dude is in his mid twenties and was a league average hitter with solid D. It would be foolish to block him by signing someone like Bryant. They need to see what he can be during the course of a full season.
I jus think giants will keep Bryant and both sides will gladly make it happen ( it’s been pretty good for both so far ) unless Phillies or Mets are about to pay him like he’s a top 10 player in all mlb which he isn’t close to being! Knowing those two teams habits I fully expect it to happen and he will be a met or Phillie and all parties will lose ! Don’t think there’s a surprise mystery.team for Bryant
Please not Story. T-Mobile park is where right handed hitters like him go to die. Semian is a perfect fit at the biggest position of need on the team. I definitely agree though with letting Toro have third next year and seeing what he can do. Sign Semian, go after Scherzer or Stroman and take a flyer on Paxton again since it will cost next to nothing. It wouldn’t hurt to sign a proven utility/bench guy too. Dylan Moore has value as a base stealer but his bat disappeared. Brad Miller reunion?
You just said no to Trevor Story because TMobile is where right handed hitters die but then immediately said yes to Marcus Semien in the very next sentence. Trevor Story’s average home run distance was 419 feet, which was good for second best in the league. And before we cry CoOrS eFfEcT, he hit more homers on the road than at home.
I actually think Corey Seager is the perfect fit here but dude is gonna command a lottttttt of money.
Corey won’t sign here the way his brother way treated. Period.
Semien is also right handed. Why won’t the park affect him?
We have SS, 1b, RF, and CF locked up imo with jp, France, Haniger/Julio, and Kelenic. Toro isn’t a lock I would say, but he’ll probably play third unless we can sign a big 3b like Bryant. Toro just doesn’t look super good defensively at 2b, but his bat would play there nice.
Everyone need starting pitching. M’s could def use some high-end starters more then mid to back type guys, but would be surprised if we add some high floor type starters like Anderson again.
I really think M’s will spend money. I don’t think we’ll get to $100m payroll like some M’s fans want (at least to start the year on opening day; would have to add around $70m in new money this offseason). Dipoto won’t pull a 2018 Phillies and just “spend stupid amounts of money”. He’ll be smart about it like he always is, and will make some creative trade that sends out some not very important players for some big money guy.
Wouldn’t be surprised*
I feel if we don’t get to $100 mil, might as well just use this year as another rebuilding year. You strike when the irons hot. You cannot go half in and half out.
“Can’t do half in half out” is usually the exclude teams give just before doing something really stupid like handing out an ill advised big contract. What fans think of as “half in” is usually a sensible, patient approach that leads to winning.
Seager’s gone. Semien is a likely target. Older vet SPs on short-term deals might be best value.
I worked for Angels when he was there. Worst Person Ever
Can you elaborate on what made him the worst person ever?
Also, we’re you the Angels former communications director? Concession guy? Ground Crew?
It was hard to see through the giant Goofy head, but I think he was squeezing the toothpaste from the middle.
Kris Bryant, Marcus Stroman
No reason to keep Seager. Good RISP numbers not withstanding. Torro essentially will put up the same numbers at minimum for about 30X less.
RISP numbers are never withstanding. They’re the result of randomness and not a measure of talent nor a good predictor of future results.
That’s crap. Some players are clutch. Some arent.
Not true. Studies have been done. Plus, what does clutch mean? Talent changes according to situation? Pure nonsense. Players don’t co troll when they get their hits and talent doesn’t change according to situation. There is simply no reality to the idea of clutch. It’s all random, stats bare this out. Logic bares this out.
you obviously have not played sports. Clutch is a very real thing. Hitting a double in the first inning with a 0-0 score is not the same as needing a double in the 9th to drive in the winning run. Pressure is real, clutch is real.
Biggest off season of Dipoto’s career. Recognizing how badly they must improve and not settle with asking the bullpen to bail them out or some late heroic at bat from (insert new player’s name here) every night is a must. They achieved 90 wins. But they benefitted from the extra innings “man on second” rule change as their bullpen was pretty lights out all year. That right there netted them 4-6 extra wins. A negative run differential cannot be ignored. They have a ton of young studs in the wings… but nothing guaranteed with them either. The fan base is anticipating the busiest off season in a long time. If Dipoto fails to deliver a trough of REAL upgrades… (sorry Author, Brad Miller is not an upgrade), then this team will find themselves back in the cellar. First things first: sign Haniger to a legit extension. Not some team discount.
Trade for 1B Matt Olson. Sign Marcus Semien to 2B. Move France to 3B. Toro can split time with Kyle Lewis at DH and infield duties. Sign Max Scherzer and re-sign Kendall Graveman. Offseason done!
The Giants need to rebuild their rotation from scratch and may well lose Bryant, so it’s doubtful they’ll be as good next year. The Dodgers we’re hammered with injuries and hung with them anyway. How would you convince Scherzer to go from the league’s juggernaut, as well as its highest payroll, to just an upstart that might not topple the Astros for a year or two yet?
Offer more money and the opportunity to play in a state with lower taxes. Scherzer already has a ring. This is his last chance for a payday!
The problem(s) with your plan is IF the A’s would trade Olson I highly doubt it’d be within their division, and if they were to you’d have to assume the asking price would be astronomical.
Secondly, while Max Scherzer is precisely what they need, he’d have to want to sign there. If any of the Cali teams bid on him I think he’d surely go there over Seattle.
Yet he signed with Washington. Hmmmm… Maybe Washington offered the most money?!!
M,s will bring Michael conforto home,I hoping anyways so he does not return to queens.
Well, if he turns down the QO he’s certainly looking for a contract bigger than I’d consider giving him.
My bold prediction: The M’s trade the farm for Juan Soto. Then, they can spend on pitching. I’m not sure if the Washington GM would actually do that, but it makes sense on paper for both sides.
As an Astros fan, I wouldn’t want it to happen.
Highly doubt it happens. The Nats still need to sell tickets and he has three more years of control. Plus, while he’d be a big upgrade to nearly any OF, the M’s best prospects are largely OF. It’s not their area of need.
Makes no sense for the Nationals to trade Soto who is young, under control, and one of the absolute best players in the game. No sense whatsoever.
Soto is controlled for three years, and the Nats may not compete for a division title until the third year. Selling the best asset in the last twenty years for a king’s ransom makes some sense. Not saying it would happen, but that there’s logic to it.
Agreed, go after SOTO.
He’s 22.
140 some walks!!!
I feel like Jerry gets it Now.
Living under Artes roof would probably frustrate any GM and paint the wrong picture when the relationship ends
I feel he’s done an excellent job in Sea thus far
And those ‘infamous” sell offs…well they look great today. It was all just noise from the peanut gallery at the time
Trying to rebuild too fast either leads to
A- Another Rebuild or
B- The current day Philadelphia Phillies
Stay in your lane Jerry, this decade looks bright if you do
The M’s definitely exceeded my expectations this year. At the trade deadline, I was arguing they should trade Haniger because they wouldn’t compete until after his deal was up. I underestimated them and hope they can get the pieces this off-season to make a run at the division title.
Jerry should work on improving his relationships with the players. The players considered Kyle Seager to be their leader and Jerry didn’t even say hi to him when they passed on the hall? That’s not good leadership.
The way Dipoto treats franchise greats is appalling.
Why does everybody take Seager’s word as gospel here? I feel like it’s likely reciprocated and Kyle didn’t speak to him either. I just don’t buy the story at face value.
As an employee, I don’t talk to the President of my company either. Is that really unusual?
To stymeedone, Nope. That’s how it’s always been for me. It’s called “the chain of command”. where I come from,
It’s almost certain that an employee as important to the success of a company, while earning as big a salary, as Seager does, would absolutely speak to the president more frequently than 4 years.
I also think you miss the point, Seager said they wouldn’t even speak in passing in the hallways… that’s a personal issue, not a structural obstacle. Dipoto did the exact same thing to Felix.
Because Kyle Seager oozes professionalism and is viewed by everyone around him as a great human being (see teammate comments). Dipoto comes off as a used car salesman and has a track record of alienating players.
It’s frankly smart for the guy that has to trade, sign or decide not to sign a player, to be removed emotionally from that. If he says hi everyday and builds a relationship, his decision process will be obviously bias.
Yes, Greyhawk, that is exactly right.
Biased, and also much more difficult to keep order in the organization.
I learned the “chain of command” in the old military years ago and that was one of the main reasons the separation of officers ;and enlisted men has existed for all these centuries.
Sure if he wants to trade or not sign a guy it’s best to be unemotional… but to SIGN a player, or better yet, get a franchise player to sign an extension, a relationship would be beneficial, not detrimental.
You’ve been watching Billy Beane in Moneyball too much… who also didn’t get to re-sign any of his players, btw.
If you want JP Crawford or Kelenic to sign extensions, you don’t give them the silent treatment.
It seems to me that Dipoto (and the team) ended uip this 2021 season right on what they had hoped for.
They were expected to improve overall. They did.
Players were expected to learn and improve. They did.
We learned this this G:M meets or beats expectations.
So what’s there to question, overall?
Next year is supposed to be the culmination of that overall effort.
What Dipoto does in this off-season will probably surprise and gratify most of us.
That’s how it seems to me.
So much payroll available to spend. I like the idea of going for it, with both next season and the next 4-5 in mind.
Sign Scherzer to a 2 year $80 million deal. (dont forget, no income tax in WA, more reason the deal might interest him) Overpay? Sure, but not a long term commitment, and he is still the type of ace pitcher they need.
If Paxton will sign a team friendly deal, great, but you cant count on him. He would be a back up option in case the young guys arent ready. You have Marco and Logan in there, with Flexen for one more year. You add Scherzer, which gives you 4 starters. Do you go with a 5 or 6 man rotation? If 5, you let the 3 young guys get some experience and manage their workload. If you go 6, maybe bring back Anderson.
Nothing really needed for the bullpen, you just hope the guys can be 80% of what they were this year. With Giles hopefully healthy, maybe add a Lefty.
I love Semien at 2b. Just a hitter. That would lengthen the lineup. A little older. 4 year deal, $80m?
See whats out there on the market for 3B. Do not take the Seager option, but stay in communication with him and if the market doesn’t develop to your liking and he is still available, a 1 year deal to keep his left handed bat in the line up, with Toro taking more time from him to see if Toro is the long term answer.
This would take care of the infield. With Lewis coming back, you have answers at all 3 outfield spots, and youth coming up quickly. No need to sign anybody to more than 1 year, $5m as a security blanket. If Lewis is healthy, or JRod is ready, you cut the vet.
Talk to Haniger and if his demands are reasonable, lock him up.
Catcher will be fine with the 3 you have on the roster now. Let them play to determine who wins the jobs.
We will likely see a lot of fringe guys get traded for younger prospects. If you cant carry them all on the 40 man, you might as well try and swap out for more wildcards in the future. Maybe you are able to translate some of those guys for a Whit Merrifield in the event you dont sign a FA 2b.
With the financial commitments so low, we can spend and even after a spending spree, they can still have lots of flexibility in the future. Ultimately, if you win, the cost of your roster matters less and less. Spend, win and nobody will worry about your budget when you have to extend your young stars.
As a whole, I like the way you are thinking. I would also suggest considering bringing back Cruz if he would sign a one year deal. He has signed on avg around 15 mil a year and I’d love to see him in the middle of the lineup all year with his consistent 850+ ops.
A club can ‘want’ every player, but how many players ‘want’ to go to Seattle?
In the al west, it’s the team to go to. Unless you don’t care about the shame the Astros have brought to the game.
I haven’t started to look for the dates yet, but in December, right around the Winter Meetings and Owners Meeting, we will start to get a good look at next year’s possibilities.
It gets us all through the winter, I guess.
The Meetings, then December 31st deadlines, then the days are fewer before Pitchers and Catchers report, and then on and on.
It all helps to keep our minds off the gruesome world and local news.
It’s been that way year after year, but this year it is much more important
BUT!
What’s all this talk about having lots of money to spend?
Attendance has been limited from nothing to very little for over a year now.
So how have the teams continued to accumulate money?
Well, dumb me, I realized after I posted that they had the TV money still intact.
Trade Kelenic before other teams realize he’s the next Dustin Ackley/Jesus Montero/Nick Franklin, etc.
I love Kyle Seager the guy but I’m looking forward to a new era for 3B. Just too many wasted at-bats. Toro has looked good but he might be better as a multi-positional bench player or trade bait for a proven star (I’m praying for Jose Ramirez here).
Trading for Jose Ramirez would be just as good as a big FA signings.
It would cost afew top prospects and afew other mlb capable players.
If we have money and trade chips, Dipoto needs to use them and build a juggernaut and not guarantee starting jobs to league average players or guys who haven’t really proven it yet. Think BIG Seattle, it’s time to win!
I could see them attempting to acquire Keston Hiura from MIL as a potential high-upside project. Just feels like a classic M’s maneuver to me. Hopefully that is not the extent of their new additions.
The M’s should seriously consider bringing back Nellie Cruz to the team imo. I get that they want flexibility, but why wouldn’t you want a roughly 300 hitter with an 850 ops in the middle of your lineup, every night. Not to mention, he is loved in Seattle and a great veteran teammate. Oh, and another thing, he won’t be asking for the world and they won’t have to sign him to a 100 year deal. Seems like a no brainer to me.
Trevor story at 3b. Andrelton Simmons at 2b. Scherzer(sp?), syndergaard and stroman. Kyle Lewis at DH. I might also find an expendable cf and move Kelenic to RF, Mitch to LF. You have j-rod as a September call up. They need to leave DH as a fluid position so they can rotate through it.
Hold every M’s fan. Alot of Bryant, Scherzrer,…being tossed around then Dipoto should go after.
1. Kikuchi is the only recent big contract he’s handed out.
2. He’s more likely to get a Big name player by “trade”
3. Yes, Sea has ALOT of room in payroll
4. So do alot of other Big market teams(alot of big $ coming off ’21, most likely to spend big in ’22.
You think JD is going to get in a bidding war for 4,5,6,7 year deals. Throw around 100-150M?
Could he swing a big deal for Jrod?
Contreras and Cal at catcher would be an upgrade. Torrens success at the plate doesn’t compensate for weakness/shortcomings behind the plate.
Scherzer is going to command somewhere around 30M/yr; even at his age
Bryant is going to look for big years and $. I don’t see production that is worthy of the $.
I meant 3B Jose Ramirez (Cle)
Not Jrod
Trade for JRam – Kyle Lewis, Tom Murphy, George Kirby, Juan Then.
Trade for Wilson Contreras – Levi Stoudt, Luis Torrens.
Sign Conforto – 2 years, $35 million.
Sign Rob Ray – 3 years, $70 million
Sign Kyle Schwarber – 3 years $60 million
Sign James Paxton – 1 years, $5 million
1. Michael Conforto LF
2. Ty France 1B
3. Jose Ramirez 3B
4. Kyle Schwarber DH
5. Mitch Haniger RF
6. Jarred Kelenic CF
7. Wilson Contreras/Cal Raleigh C
8. Abraham Toro 2B
9. JP Crawford SS
1. Rob Ray
2. Chris Flexen
3. Marco Gonzales
4. Logan Gilbert
5. James Paxton
That’s a good looking lineup.
I like the jram and contreras. I’d give up Kirby and lewis.
The conforto, Ray, schwarber ones , they block the young guys.
Seattle doesn’t want to use a traditional DH for that spot.
Get gravemen, trade Diego. Dejvu.