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 reasonably than the keystone, the place choices like Dylan Moore and Ryan Bliss out there 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. Other than that risk, a variety of viable veteran choices like Mark Canha and Anthony Rizzo nonetheless stay out there 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 out there for the membership to think about as they search for an improve for Raley and teenager Tyler Locklear.
Third base, nevertheless, is a little more difficult. Whereas a variety of gamers might at the very least theoretically be out there on the place this winter, Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado each determine to be properly outdoors of the Mariners’ value vary. One other potential commerce candidate, Eugenio Suarez, additionally appears unlikely to be a match on condition that the Mariners themselves traded Suarez only one offseason in the past. Past Bregman, few choices out there in free company present apparent upgrades over Josh Rojas, who the membership utilized at third base final 12 months earlier than non-tendering him again in November.
Standing pat doesn’t seem like an possibility on the place, both: Austin Shenton and Leo Rivas might at the very least theoretically pitch in on the place however have a mixed 136 plate appearances on the large league stage, necessitating at the very least one veteran addition to take the lion’s share of reps on the scorching nook. With an apparently tight price range and minimal inside options out there, who may very well be a sensible goal for the membership this winter?
Free Brokers
- Ha-Seong Kim: Kim, 29, is no doubt the very best free agent infielder who might probably match into the Mariners’ price range given his 106 wRC+ and plus protection throughout the infield over the previous three seasons. MLBTR predicted Kim to land a comparatively inexpensive one-year, $12MM contract forward of the 2025 season on the outset of the offseason, however because the market has developed some studies have indicated he might land a multi-year deal this winter and relying on how the bidding goes, it’s straightforward to think about issues going past Seattle’s consolation zone. Past the opportunity 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 probably appears to rebuild his worth coming off shoulder surgical procedure, it could hardly be a shock if he most popular to signal someplace the place he’d be capable of 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 up to now.
- Paul DeJong: DeJong, 31, was a high quality common at shortstop with the Cardinals early in his profession and even made an All-Star sport again in 2019. His offense fell method off after that season, nevertheless, and he struggled to a 72 wRC+ from 2020 to 2023. Final season as one thing of a rebound for the veteran, nevertheless, 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 wonderfully inexpensive possibility for the Mariners this winter. It’s straightforward to think about DeJong leaping on the alternative if supplied common begins in Seattle, nevertheless it’s truthful to surprise if the Mariners would have a lot curiosity in him as a match. In any case, 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 price final 12 months goes in opposition to the extra contact-oriented strategy the membership has tried to domesticate in recent times.
- Yoán Moncada: Moncada could be an fascinating 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 on account of 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 attainable that (like with DeJong) his elevated strikeout numbers all through his profession might give the Mariners some pause. That stated, Moncada’s total offensive profile when wholesome is stronger than that of DeJong’s, and given his restricted monitor report in recent times the infielder ought to nonetheless be very inexpensive.
- Jose Iglesias: Iglesias is coming off a profession 12 months with the Mets that noticed him slash .337/.381/.448 (137 wRC+) in 291 plate appearances throughout 85 video games. That’s the form of efficiency that ought to make him a really engaging candidate for just about any membership’s bench combine, however the Mariners might stand out amongst different potential suitors by providing him a daily function. With that being stated, 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 unbelievable .382 BABIP that made him an above-average hitter final 12 months. He’s additionally pretty inexperienced at third base, though he did play the place fairly properly (+2 Outs Above Common) when referred to as upon by the Mets final 12 months. Iglesias’s contact-oriented strategy might maintain specific attraction in Seattle, and he may very well be a pretty possibility for the membership in the event that they’re desirous about given bigger roles to children 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 providers this winter. These talks understandably appeared to fizzle out when the Phillies requested for Logan Gilbert or George Kirby in return for Bohm’s providers, but when Philadelphia decides to drop their asking value because the offseason drags on he stays one of many higher matches out there to the Mariners this winter. Whereas Bohm’s protection on the scorching nook has typically left a lot to be desired, he slashed a robust .280/.332/.448 (115 wRC+) final 12 months and struck out simply 14.2% of the time, making him a robust match for a membership that has usually shied away from high-strikeout hitters when attainable. If the asking value for Bohm stays wherever close to the place it was earlier this offseason, nevertheless, it’s onerous 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 up to now however is a brilliant utility participant with quite a lot of expertise at each shortstop and second base, which suggests he ought to be capable of 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 initiatives Castro will earn in his ultimate journey by way of 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 bought simply 169 MLB video games below his belt. A former consensus top-30 prospect within the sport, Baty has struggled up to now in his large 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, notably 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 could 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.
