After letting Teoscar Hernández enter free agency without so much as a qualifying offer and subsequently trading both Eugenio Suárez and Jarred Kelenic, the Mariners have lost three hitters who provided above-average offensive production in regular playing time last season. Suárez and Hernández finished second and third on the team in RBI (trailing only superstar Julio Rodríguez), while Kelenic led the team in slugging percentage and isolated power until he fractured his foot in mid-July.
The team’s best options at third base and the corner outfield positions now include Luis Urías, Cade Marlowe, Dominic Canzone, and Taylor Trammell, three unproven 26-year-old outfielders and a former top prospect who struggled tremendously in 2023. Those four combined to hit just .204 last season with a .666 OPS and 87 wRC+ in 515 PA. Veteran utility players Sam Haggerty and Dylan Moore can also cover the outfield and infield corners, but neither is much more than the short side of a platoon given their career numbers against right-handed pitching.
With all that said, it’s no surprise Seattle is looking to add multiple position players this offseason, according to manager Scott Servais (per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). After all, the Mariners are ostensibly competing with the Astros and Rangers for the AL West crown, but if they’re going to win in 2024, they’ll need an offense to support their deep and talented pitching staff.
The Mariners are not thought to be in the running for Shohei Ohtani, but they could be a good fit for almost every other impact bat on the free agent market. They have also been linked to various trade candidates, including, most recently, Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes of the Rays.
It remains unclear how much money president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has to work with this winter, although he has managed to clear a significant amount of salary and he expects the payroll to increase in 2024 (per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times). It’s also hard to guess what trade chips the Mariners will be willing to part with. Entering the offseason, it seemed almost inevitable that they would trade one of their young starting pitchers to improve the offense. However, after sending Marco Gonzales to Atlanta as part of the Kelenic trade, Seattle has less of a logjam in the rotation, and Dipoto says the chances of the team trading another pitcher are “less likely” than they were before (per Jude).
That said, if the Mariners are serious about trading for Arozarena, Paredes, or another middle-of-the-order bat, they’ll need to make a pretty sweet offer, and luckily they still have an abundance of arms to deal from. Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, and Bryce Miller would make a strong starting five to open the season, but eventually Robbie Ray will return from Tommy John rehab and Emerson Hancock will force his way back to the majors. Too much pitching depth is never a bad thing, yet the Mariners might be wise to trade from an area of strength to bolster their depleted lineup.
How is this news? How is this even worth the time to type? They are down three starters from there end of season roster after missing the playoffs by one game. Obviously they’re looking for multiple position players. We need lots of them. Ownership and management have dug far too many holes to fill, though.
This just in. The Yankees are ready to make moves this offseason!!!! You heard it here first!
What they’re going to give Staton a new 10 year extension for a trillion dollars?
Cry about it. It’s a website devoted to baseball and it gives you free content. You complain to just complain, you entitled brat.
It’s Dipoto…he may think he already has the guts to fill the holes…and the M’s lose 90 games this year
It’s ownership not Dipoto. Budget got cut
Hell no
It’s not Dipoto. It’s the owners cutting his budget. Did you read the Seattle Times Article? Makes it pretty loud and clear
Guessing trader Jerry wants the world to know he’s ready to deal. I dont think they have as many wholes as you think. SP is in a really nice spot and can carry a team alone. Julio, France, Crawford, Raleigh are all really nice. What they add and play in place of teoscar, Suarez, kelenic and Ford matters. They were a below average offense last year. Those spots all need upgraded.
Well I’ll say one thing for you baby boy you do have an appropriate username. Here’s an idea, if you’re not interested in a free article…maybe just don’t click on it.
This seems a little self-induced…but likely gonna try for something bigger.
Nolan Gorman and Tommy Edman for Logan Gilbert
Laughed out the building on that proposal
I’ll throw in a poster of Tyler O’Neill for your bedroom wall if that’s what it takes.
Exactly maybe Woo but no way Logan. He’s an Ace for 80% of the league
Nolan Gorman and Brendan Donovan you mean? Because thats what it would take.
You want Donovan ok Gorman and Donovan for Gilbert and Munoz
The Cardinals aren’t trading Gorman for Gilbert straight up.
Mariners fans seem to think Gilbert is some amazing talent. I don’t get it. I think he’s a good player but be real.
Wow. That would be a proper block buster.
Not sure if either club would do it, but Cards and Mariners certainly line up well for some sort of trade.
What would the Mariners ask for Woo? O’Neill Burleson and Saggese?
Might work – Cards dont lose a prize asset, Mariners get 2nd tier MLB-ready hitters and a prospect who tore up the minors in 2o23
I think it would have to be someone with years of club control ready to compete now, not a slugger like O’neill on an expiring contract and a minor leaguer. Our window to win is now. Woo has #3 potential at league minimum for 6 years. That costs real assets to get. A trade of O’neill and Donovan for Woo and a 10-15 ranked prospect would get it done i’d imagine.
Cardinals don’t need Woo.
ONeill and Loutos for Topa. That would work for both sides.
How about Kepler or Polanco for Hancock
Will never happen
How bout both & throw in Lewis & Correa
Maybe DiPoto will pick up the phone
Can’t tell is sarcastic or dumb, so if you are a troll, you have succeeded.
How about no.
verdugo for a couple of bootleg grunge tapes and a flannel shirt.
What color is the Flannel?
It’s gotta be one that Kurt Cobain wore, I mean, it IS verdugo we’re talking about here…
I’m going to go w the grunge tapes and flannel. Verdugo sucks and he would be even worse in this ballpark.
I agree, vibes. That’s why I only want a ratty shirt and some blown out tapes for him
Well then if the shirt is ratty and the tapes are blown out, then we might have a deal lol
How bout Ozuna & Grissom for Woo
Ozuna makes too much. Why would the Mariners dump salary, then take on Ozuna’s contract. Plus the Mariners have 12 second baseman already!!
Grissom is can play outfield too, they’re planning to platoon him w Kelenic. But Ozuna is a big no for me for a number of reasons making this deal a no in my book. I do like Grissom tho, or at least he is an interesting piece.
12 of them. But can 1 even play?
Sign Yamamoto and then deal w the O’s. Kjerstad and Ortiz for Gilbert and hancock
I like your thinking. I’m an O’s fan, and if DiPoto does only Gilbert for Kjerstead and Ortiz, Elias says yes.
Fore and aft? Starboard? Port side?
Frankly I don’t understand how Jerry says they are less likely now to trade a pitcher than 24 hours ago.
Because they don’t have that much starter depth after trading Marco.
They are set to start the season with Castillo-Kirby-Gilbert-Miller-Woo, with Hancock as one of two SPs on the 40 and in reserve (I think). They won’t get Ray back until July or August.
They’re likely going to add starters on minor-league deals.
Though I wouldn’t rule out a trade if they can get Snell on a team-friendly deal, it doesn’t sound like that’s their preferred plan.
I totally get what you’re saying but there are SP4-SP5 types (and better as you mention) available. Marco was never in the plans. There aren’t really impact bats outside of Bellinger or Shohei and I don’t expect the Mariners to be involved there. So if they are going to add an impact bat (like an Arozarena or Yandy Diaz, Soto, etc) it’ll have to be by trading a pitcher. Neither seems likely at this point given what they have said. I’d be happy-ish with Jung Hoo Lee, Hoskins, Gurriel, and/or Whit but it seems very unlikely that they are capable of pulling down even one of those bats much less 2-3. Which keeps bringing me back to signing an arm and trading for bat(s). Idk man. Not looking good right now.
Gotta sacrifice something to gain something and not like they can’t turn another no name guy into a decent starter
Mets need pitching, how about McNeil, Baty, Ramirez, Megill and a SS prospect for Kirby or Logan Gilbert and Hancock
Kirby is going nowhere. Zero chance he’s traded.
Jerry & Justin noted that they were looking for an outfielder and later noted that they’d like to add two or three bats.
If it’s two, we’re probably looking at a corner outfielder and DH/fourth outfielder.
If it’s three, maybe we see a third baseman with Urías in a platoon at second. Otherwise, another corner outfielder.
So, in a best-case scenario, it seems likely we’ll see one of Urías/Canzone in a regular role with the possibility of both having regular roles.
If Canzone starts, the OF depth gets real thin, since Hummel was already out and I can’t imagine Trammell sticking around since he struggled with his opportunities again last season and got leapfrogged by Marlowe. Trammell is out of options, though.
I still think we’ll likely see a right-handed infielder moved if they can address a need.
It may be early December, but it’s kind of crazy where this team is right now. And for the record, I want to point out that Jerry stated at the end- of-season press conference that they should have financial flexibility to add. And yet here we are hearing the same thing after clearing out a cool 30m from the books.
Jerry doesn’t seem to mind Stanton throwing him under the bus. It’s becoming an annual tradition.
Canzone and Urias in regular roles. That is wild.. like bottom 10 payroll in baseball wild. Unfortunately I think it’s the most likely outcome given the broke boys vibe they’re putting out
Welcome to Seattle….the home of the Cheapest owners north of Oakland
At least Urias has had success at the majors. I don’t mind him as our starting 3B if we have to. Canzone, on the other hand, hasn’t proven anything offensively and is bad defensively. He should be our 4th/5th OF at best.
I realize that Dipoto is trying to put together a team with his hands tied behind his back but it feels like he’s getting a bit desperate this offseason. I don’t see how he’s going to fill all these holes he’s created.
He might not have to worry about filling those holes if his objective from ownership is just to slash payroll.
Sooo what else would the mariners trade?
If less likely to trade pitchers…who in the heck would they be trading to get the rays guys.
I’d say he can grab a few free agent bats but his track record says he doesn’t do that on multi year deals.
I don’t follow the mariners closely but from a far their offseason seems strange.
For me the mariners are a team that feels like they are 1 or 2 players away from being able to win it all. They have starters and relievers…they have a star player on a cheap contract still. They have some complimentary pieces.
Offseason isn’t over yet but it just doesn’t sound or feel right so far.
Simm – Rays need pitching more than anything, so if the Mariners are trading for Aroz or Paredes, they’re most likely going to have to part with Woo, Miller or Brash (and a lot more than that if we’re talking Paredes).
I feel like the majority of M’s Nation are assuming that the $42M saved in future commitments in payroll will likely be pocketed by Stanton. While I feel like Stanton has held Dipoto and this team back over the past 2-3 offseasons I’m certain that the M’s FO will recoup all of that $42M on a couple good players. The Ms fanbase need to trust that the subtraction of 4 hitters is more about ridding the lineup of hitters with high K/0 rates than trimming payroll. Ask yourself- have we not been frustrated at all the K/0’s in key moments in games? Dipoto had to do something
Trade Capital- I’m almost certain we’ll see Miller or Hancock gone. I think we’ll also see 2-3 Top 15 Prospects gone. Think about what we could get for B Miller and Harry Ford, Lazaro Montes and Colt Emerson. That is a ton of value.
You must be new to following the Mariners
Mediocrity is alright as long as Julio continues the trend of superstars (Ichiro, Griffey, Hernandez, etc.) bringing people to the games.
Stanton promised to spend all the money they saved from ‘19-‘21 when the “window opens”. The window doesn’t get any MORE open than last year. Still a goose egg. Dumping even more cash.
If they had just spent a LITTLE, they could have been in a position to deal their closers (Graveman/Sewald) and been able to absorb the on-the-field blows. But, alas… Not this penny pincher. He can prove us all wrong, but he’s got a pretty cruddy track record.
Also, it’s brutal blowing up a clubhouse in the hunt. Jerry shouldn’t discount that. But, he appears to not be a people person, more of a numbers cruncher.
Still on the Mariner Carousel. Going nowhere.
HEY NOW!!!! QUIT YOUR LYING!!!!!!! The M’s spent $7 million on AJ Polluck. not a Goose Egg…. Oh wait….it wasn’t a Goose Egg it was for Magic Beans
I’m not sure if Stanton even knows what a window is
Canzone, Urias, and Rojas are each on track to get more than 400 PAs. The M’s can probably survive that if none of them are counted on for spots 1-6 in the order. (Currently JP, Julio, Cal, Ty France(!), and pray for rain.)
If any of Marlowe, DeLoach, Packard, Locklear, Bliss, Clase, Caballero are a big part of plan A? The team will struggle. They’ll certainly end up wishing they’d ponied up the 1.4 million for Mike Ford.
I get the nagging feeling that one of those players will get significant starting time and we’ll hear the tired excuse of, “the market just got too expensive….” yet again.
This is exactly it. They are apparently out on Shohei and I would not expect them in on Belly or Chapman. Based on how they are talking about TV revenue issues I fully expect them to roll w a bunch of scrubs and Cal/Ty batting 3-4, and Canzone/Rojas/Urias getting 400+ PAS each which is totally unacceptable and much worse than the lineup fielded last year.
Root was dropped from my cable plan last month. Another $20/month just for the M’s is not happening, unless I don’t go to any games. Which looks possible. And, if the team isn’t appreciably better, it will probably be the case.
Maybe they shouldn’t have jacked up the rate they charge Comcast. I’m sure that $20/Month cost wasn’t the cable company’s sole doing.
Just sell already, John and Company.
Apparently the Mariners and Blazers were petty vocal about being against the premium package. Even though the Mariners own Root, they don’t get to set prices for their channel or decide what plan it is on. That is entirely at Comcast’s discretion. It was solely Comcast’s doing.
The Mariners and all teams that have controlling interest in their RSN’s should be leading the way shifting all games onto mlb.tv and ending blackouts. Instead, they are old fashioned and greedy forcing people into cable packages at all with no direct consumer OTT stream. They can also charge more for it and not share those revenues with the league because ROOT owns the rights to the Kraken and Sounders revenues. Greed.
Call the Cardinals?
ONeill and Loutos for Justin Topa
Verdugo for Robbie Ray + $54M.
lol
Such amazing deals! My team will give the Mariners 5 guys who stink for one of the 5 best starters in baseball. Who says no?
I have a sick feeling that the Mariners will finish last in all of baseball next season and Jerry Dipoto will still keep his job.
Wow! Knee jerk much? Come on, I know that things are not looking too good right now, but you gotta know that both Dipoto’s and Servias’ jobs are on the line. There is little to no way they both survive to see another season in Seattle without a post-season berth.
Makes me almost hope for a bad season if it means they are gone. But I do agree that it’s their last season to try. The leash I think is short as of now. Another season like last and Dipoto probably can’t show his face around town.
There appears to be a lot of bounce back candidates available something like the M.s did last year only they had no success with that. Better luck this time around? I’m not opposed to that if the right deal(s) can be made. This of course does not interfere with valued targets in mind. DH. might be the easiest place to start, and replace also a fourth outfielder. players like Kyle Lewis, Austin Meadows, Jean Segura, Will Myers, Crone to name a few. Something might turn up in the scrape pile There is also pitching here to be found. .
All of the sudden the realization is setting in. We don’t have a lot of trading capitol left. certainly not starting pitching the rest would be prospects so what will that bring in? They do have a couple of nickels to rub together but how far will that get you? I don’t see any big acquisition coming along, something more along the the lines of middle of the road players. how is this getting better?
46%
The average regular season attendance at Seattle Mariners games remained relatively consistent from 2006 to 2023. In 2023, the average attendance was 33,215, a significant increase from the previous year’s value of 28,590 people.
I’ve attended numerous M’s games this past season. Parking is $78 per game and expect to drop a Benjamin or two if you want to eat. Add in their merchandise sales and what does equal? Cheap, greedy Ownership that pretends they’re broke!!!
I call BS!!
They are running a payroll so low that they have achieved most profitable team ranking two years in a row. AND they jacked ticket prices by 15-20%+ while continuing to play the poor card. Kevin Mather when he was running his mouth about manipulating Kelenics service time also said the team is built to be just good enough to keep profits high. Ownership group is a joke. Jerry is doing a pretty good job with both hands tied behind his back.
I agree 110%!!! It’s freakin’ shameful!!!
Sir, your credit s no longer accepted.
I’m already shaking my head at the Mariners’ “trades” so far, and SMH a bit more at the notion they might actually have interest in Tyler O’Neill. They either just traded or didn’t re-sign four guys who are strikeout-prone. Not sure why they would want to add another guy who K’s a lot. Gorman is a stud, but he K’ed 148 times in 119 games last year. If they’re talking to the Cards, I hope they’re asking about Donovan.
They do not have any extra starting pitchers and shouldn’t trade any of them (unless his initials are R.R.).
Do you really think that Dipoto won’t pick up a veteran arm or three and stash them at Tacoma? Seattle is in the cat-bird seat when it comes to pitching with what they have on hand right now. Do you think that having 6-7 MLB quality arms is something that the majority of clubs have? Here’s an example of what the M’s could do (should do in my book). The M’s should make a hard push at pitchers who are looking for a place to restart their careers. I’m talking about Jack Flaherty and Lucas Giolito. Flaherty more than Giolito could really use a bump. 2024 will be his age 28 season,
There’s 0% chance next years team can be better than this season with a $140M cap on payroll unless they trade Woo/Miller, GGonzalez, Ford, Hancock, and 7 others from top 15 prospect rankings
And cheap teams don’t trade prospects so there’s pretty much the option of signing 3-4 bounceback scrubs again @ $5-10 million to replace Suarez Teo Kelenic and pretend like the team is improved
Don’t get you hopes up guys, Jerry will just sign Brad Miller, AJ Pollock, and Tommy La Stella and call it a day
According to the Seattle Times Mariners ownership is reluctant to add to the payroll due to concerns of losing cable subscriptions because of a change by Comcast that affects the Root Sports cable package. If the Mariners are worried about losing revenue by people dropping cable subscriptions this isn’t the way to fix it. The best thing they could do is sign Ohtani no matter what it costs.
What’s weird is my “Root Sports” channel stopped working recently and now says “subscription needed”. I’ve watched the Mariners on “Root Sports” for over a decade, including this year and I’ve made ZERO changes to my cable package. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll need to find out before next yrs season starts.
Comcast moved Root Sports into a higher tier. You have to pay more for it now.
Thanks. Good thing they waited till the off-season.
Not for Kraken fans. Comcast knows sports fans will just pay through the nose. Not this one. Comcast is gone. Sports was all I watched, and I’ve got the ESPN Disney plus bundle. Less than $20/mo and my kids and I are happy. And since the M’s refuse to win, my son is just a Trout/Ohtani/Tatis fan. All of whom we can watch for free on MLB tv.
Did any locals hear the Seattle Mariners Beat Writer, Ryan Divish, on Seattle 710 ESPN Radio last night? He is a good dude and it was eye opening. Divish said Manager Scott Service was honest with him and said that the owner, John Stanton, did not raise the payroll like he and Jerry thought he would and that they were doing the best they could with “the cards that they were dealt.” he was disappointed and did not think after the season was over that they would have to do some of these trades that they have recently done to clear payroll.
This team is so close. You can make the case that they have one of the Top 3 rotations in MLB and their owner will not give them just a bit more money to get get what they need to make a run at it. Sell the team John Stanton, you have made enough money, this is shameful, Put it back into the team or get out, if not for the fans, than for the players, who know they are close as well. The Mariners were the #1 profiting team in MLB in 2022. and 2023 was kind to the pocket books as well.
This is not Jerry Dipoto’s fault. He is competitive. He knows how close they are. Service mentioned that he knows the player’s are upset and this is not where he wishes things were at.
Shame on John Stanton.
Helps me better understand the moves. They need 3-4 bats now. Going to be tough. Do what you can with what you have been given but sell the team John Stanton, you don’t need to go NY Yankee, LA Dodger, Texas Rangers crazy, just give Jerry the money, the raise he thought he may have to work with this year because things felt short last year in the standings but they did not fall short at the Bank.
100%
Thanks for the insights.
John Stanton is just the spokesperson for the rest of the ownership group that, by the way, still includes scumbag Former Team President Kevin Mathers. The entire ownership group needs to sell, not just Stanton. What an embarrassment: another home grown generational superstar discovered and developed by the Mariners, a whole bunch of very cheap very good pitchers, and a team taking steps back instead of forward. All because this ownership group wants to spend like a bottom 10 club instead of more appropriate to their attendance. They raised ticket prices by 20% to do.. what exactly? Slash payroll?
I wonder how Pinellia got ownership to build a competitive team? Feel bad for players such as Felix Hernandez, Mark Langston, Ichiro, etc. that stuck with the Mariners despite being on a team seemingly incapable of getting to the World Series.