The Mariners' second near-miss of the playoffs in the past two years prompted significant leadership changes before the season drew to a close. Manager Scott Servais was shown the door shortly before the completion of his ninth year on the job and replaced not an interim basis but by the full-time appointment of former M's catcher Dan Wilson as the club's new skipper. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander remain in place and will be under even more pressure to field a playoff club next year.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Julio Rodriguez, OF: $180MM through 2034 (contract could climb as high as $450MM through 2039 based on series of options/escalators)
- Luis Castillo, RHP: $68.25MM through 2027 (contract contains 2028 vesting option)
- J.P. Crawford, SS: $21MM through 2026
- Mitch Garver, C/DH: $12.5MM through 2025 (includes buyout of 2026 club option)
- Victor Robles, OF: $8.5MM through 2026 (includes buyout of 2027 club option)
- Dylan Moore, INF/OF: $3.825MMM through 2025
- Andres Munoz, RHP: $2.5MM through 2025 (contract contains club options for 2026-28 seasons)
Option Decisions
- Mitch Haniger, OF: $15.5MM player option
- Jorge Polanco, 2B: $12MM club option with $750K buyout
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; salary projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Austin Voth (5.115): $2.2MM
- JT Chargois (5.101): $1.7MM
- Luis Urias (5.014): $5MM
- Trent Thornton (4.148): $2.1MM
- Randy Arozarena (4.129): $11.7MM
- Josh Rojas (4.126): $4.3MM
- Sam Haggerty (4.036): $900K
- Logan Gilbert (3.144): $8.1MM
- Tayler Saucedo (3.112): $1MM
- Cal Raleigh (3.085): $5.6MM
- Gabe Speier (2.172): $900K
- George Kirby (2.151): $5.5MM
- Non-tender candidates: Voth, Chargois, Urias, Haggerty, Speier
Free Agents
The Mariners' 2022 return to postseason baseball after a 20-year drought raised expectations in Seattle. Those expectations have not been reached in two subsequent seasons. The Mariners have played winning ball in each of the past two seasons but have failed to secure even a Wild Card berth. This year's loss is particularly painful for the organization, as Seattle held a dominant 10-game lead on the division in early June but had squandered it by the following month. A resurgent Astros club stormed to yet another AL West crown. There's no indication that front office changes are nigh -- team chairman John Stanton already said Dipoto would remain at his post -- but baseball operations turnover often follows coaching changes if the results don't quickly improve.
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bloomquist4hof
I’m sure Castillo would need something to waive his no trade clause like guaranteeing the 2028 option. That would likely remove any positive value left on his contract, I think they could get something for him if they traded him with just the 2025-2027 guarantee but the extra year would likely project underwater and negate that. If they ate some of it though would have decent trade value. If not they could probably move him but not for much. I could see them doing that but unless they added another starter would likely make them weaker even if they used the savings to add someone.
I don’t expect anything flashy. I think they probably hang on to most of the top prospects and unless they can get really creative they won’t dump a significant amount of Haniger or Garver’s contracts and/or move Castillo.
bloomquist4hof
If they really are going for a Rays style roster construction plan I think it’s an eventuality we see core players get moved for younger and cheaper major league ready talent. How long does Raleigh or Gilbert or anyone else really have? If they can turn them into multiple cheap young players I’m wondering if that eventually happens.
larkraxm
Well, if you can’t resign these guys to long term team friendly deals like the Braves, then you have to trade them for young controllable pieces like the Rays. You can’t let them walk for nothing, like the Seattle Mariners. George Kirby is the sell high candidate. He is not resigning in Seattle. He wants to be a Yankee.
wayneroo
Really? He told you that? I see,
hoof hearted
IF George really WANTS to be a Yankee?? Trade him now to the BSox for Casas and ???
Stevil
I’ve been saying the same thing for nearly three years and it’s a big reason why I feel this could be the last year of Raleigh and Gilbert.
But they may not have committed to a new course yet. Perhaps 2025 will dictate the direction they go.
Frankly, I’m not confident they can develop hitters, so I would hope that anyone they might acquire is MLB-ready (whenever/if the time comes).
Astrosfn1979
It’s baffling to me how everytime they bring in a bat to help the offense, that player craters in Seattle.
Teoscar (not crater but not as good as before or after), Winker, Garver. . . Every second baseman known to man.
If any of the bats DiPoto brings in actually hit this team will be lethal
Stevil
Like Robles, Arozarena, Turner, and Raley?
Stevil
They absolutely have had issues with hitters, but I’m not sure how much of that has been the park and how much has been the players.
I would hope they’re working on profiles and adjust the fences this offseason, but I’m not expecting that.
hoof hearted
Look at player spits @home over the last few years. One year a player hits good, then next-not so good. Even France had a real good split at home afew years back.
Acoss1331
Eugenio Suarez can be added to that list.
hoof hearted
WHY would Cal and George project to get 5.5m(ish), When Logan got alittle over 4m in his 1st year of arb????
Blackpink in the area
How about Castillo and Garver for Yoshida? Mariners need lefty bats and have a long history with Japanese players. Castillo is good but not performing up to his contract Red Sox could use a top of the rotation arm. Mariners save a lot of money they can perhaps spend elsewhere.