The Mariners haven’t been shy about their want to shore up their infield combine this winter, and whereas at factors within the offseason the membership has proven an curiosity in upgrading at second their focus seems to be totally on upgrading the infield corners fairly than the keystone, the place choices like Dylan Moore and Ryan Bliss obtainable to carry down the fort till high center infield prospect Cole Younger is prepared for his MLB debut.
First base seems to be pretty easy gap for the membership to fill. They’ve lengthy been related to a reunion with veteran Justin Turner, who helped to bolster their first base combine down the stretch and will pair properly with Luke Raley’s left-handed bat on the place. Apart from that risk, numerous viable veteran choices like Mark Canha and Anthony Rizzo nonetheless stay obtainable in free company as properly, to not point out commerce candidates like Yandy Diaz, Luis Arraez, and LaMonte Wade Jr. who might present a bit extra affect at the price of commerce capital. Even after a run on first base expertise simply earlier than the New Yr, loads of choices stay obtainable for the membership to contemplate as they search for an improve for Raley and teenager Tyler Locklear.
Third base, nonetheless, is a little more sophisticated. Whereas numerous gamers might no less than theoretically be obtainable on the place this winter, Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado each determine to be properly exterior of the Mariners’ value vary. One other potential commerce candidate, Eugenio Suarez, additionally appears unlikely to be a match provided that the Mariners themselves traded Suarez only one offseason in the past. Past Bregman, few choices obtainable in free company present apparent upgrades over Josh Rojas, who the membership utilized at third base final yr earlier than non-tendering him again in November.
Standing pat doesn’t look like an possibility on the place, both: Austin Shenton and Leo Rivas might no less than theoretically pitch in on the place however have a mixed 136 plate appearances on the huge league degree, necessitating no less than one veteran addition to take the lion’s share of reps on the scorching nook. With an apparently tight finances and minimal inner options obtainable, who might be a practical goal for the membership this winter?
Free Brokers
Ha-Seong Kim: Kim, 29, is definitely the most effective free agent infielder who might probably match into the Mariners’ finances given his 106 wRC+ and plus protection throughout the infield over the previous three seasons. MLBTR predicted Kim to land a comparatively reasonably priced one-year, $12MM contract forward of the 2025 season on the outset of the offseason, however because the market has developed some experiences have indicated he might land a multi-year deal this winter and relying on how the bidding goes, it’s simple to think about issues going past Seattle’s consolation zone. Past the potential of Kim touchdown a deal that goes past what Seattle is keen to supply, Kim has performed each shortstop and second base way more generally than third all through his profession. As Kim doubtless appears to be like to rebuild his worth coming off shoulder surgical procedure, it will hardly be a shock if he most well-liked to signal someplace the place he’d have the ability to be a daily shortstop. He’d be a defensive improve for J.P. Crawford, however the Mariners have proven no want to maneuver him off the place thus far.
Paul DeJong: DeJong, 31, was a top quality common at shortstop with the Cardinals early in his profession and even made an All-Star recreation again in 2019. His offense fell manner off after that season, nonetheless, and he struggled to a 72 wRC+ from 2020 to 2023. Final season as one thing of a rebound for the veteran, nonetheless, as he cut up time between the White Sox and Royals and managed to hit a decent .227/.276/.427 (95 wRC+) in 139 video games with stable glovework at each shortstop and, extra importantly on this context, third base. That respectable season ought to enable him to simply beat the $1.75MM assure he landed with Chicago final winter, although he ought to nonetheless nonetheless be a superbly reasonably priced possibility for the Mariners this winter. It’s simple to think about DeJong leaping on the alternative if provided common begins in Seattle, nevertheless it’s truthful to surprise if the Mariners would have a lot curiosity in him as a match. In spite of everything, they simply parted methods with Rojas again in November regardless of robust glovework because of his under common offense, and DeJong’s 32.4% strikeout fee final yr goes towards the extra contact-oriented strategy the membership has tried to domesticate in recent times.
Yoán Moncada: Moncada can be an attention-grabbing candidate for the third base job in Seattle. A former high prospect, Moncada has had an up-and-down profession with the White Sox earlier than issues got here off the rails attributable to accidents the previous few years. He’s performed simply 104 video games over the previous two seasons, however has a reasonably respectable 101 wRC+ in that point. It’s removed from unattainable to think about him bouncing again to one thing nearer to the 120 wRC+ he posted with Chicago again in 2021, although it’s doable that (like with DeJong) his elevated strikeout numbers all through his profession might give the Mariners some pause. That mentioned, Moncada’s general offensive profile when wholesome is stronger than that of DeJong’s, and given his restricted monitor document in recent times the infielder ought to nonetheless be very reasonably priced.
Jose Iglesias: Iglesias is coming off a profession yr with the Mets that noticed him slash .337/.381/.448 (137 wRC+) in 291 plate appearances throughout 85 video games. That’s the type of efficiency that ought to make him a really engaging candidate for nearly any membership’s bench combine, however the Mariners might stand out amongst different potential suitors by providing him a daily position. With that being mentioned, there’s loads of potential trigger for concern in Iglesias’s profile. The veteran infielder will play all of this coming season at age-35, and it’s unattainable to think about him replicating the unimaginable .382 BABIP that made him an above-average hitter final yr. He’s additionally pretty inexperienced at third base, though he did play the place fairly properly (+2 Outs Above Common) when known as upon by the Mets final yr. Iglesias’s contact-oriented strategy might maintain specific enchantment in Seattle, and he might be a beautiful possibility for the membership in the event that they’re thinking about given bigger roles to kids like Shenton and Rivas.
Commerce Candidates
Alec Bohm: Bohm stands out on this record partly as a result of the membership has already reportedly expressed curiosity in his companies this winter. These talks understandably appeared to fizzle out when the Phillies requested for Logan Gilbert or George Kirby in return for Bohm’s companies, but when Philadelphia decides to drop their asking value because the offseason drags on he stays one of many higher suits obtainable to the Mariners this winter. Whereas Bohm’s protection on the scorching nook has typically left a lot to be desired, he slashed a powerful .280/.332/.448 (115 wRC+) final yr and struck out simply 14.2% of the time, making him a powerful match for a membership that has sometimes shied away from high-strikeout hitters when doable. If the asking value for Bohm stays anyplace close to the place it was earlier this offseason, nonetheless, it’s arduous to think about a commerce coming collectively.
Willi Castro: Castro, 28 in April, has began simply 48 video games at third base all through his profession thus far however is an excellent utility participant with a substantial amount of expertise at each shortstop and second base, which suggests he ought to have the ability to deal with the new nook comparatively simply. Since becoming a member of the Twins previous to the 2023 season, Castro has put up back-to-back 108 wRC+ seasons whereas accumulating 5.6 fWAR. Minnesota appears disinclined to pay the $6.2MM that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz tasks Castro will earn in his closing journey via arbitration, however that’s a price ticket the Mariners ought to have little bother stomaching for a possible common at a place of want.
Brett Baty: Baty, 25, stands out from the opposite potential commerce candidates talked about because of the truth that he’s acquired simply 169 MLB video games below his belt. A former consensus top-30 prospect within the sport, Baty has struggled thus far in his huge league profession and hit simply .229/.306/.327 (83 wRC+) in 50 video games with the Mets this previous season. The emergence of Mark Vientos has seemingly boxed Baty out of a path to taking part in time with the membership in 2025, significantly if Pete Alonso ultimately returns to Queens. That would make Baty expendable for the membership, and if the Mariners aren’t capable of finding a extra dependable veteran possibility in free company or on the commerce market it will be very comprehensible for the membership to pivot in direction of rolling the cube on a participant with Baty’s offensive potential and prospect pedigree.
