The Mariners have not been shy about their desire to improve their infield combination this winter, and while at points in the offseason the club has shown an interest in improving the second their focus is mainly on improving the corners of the infield instead of the infield. keystone, where you can choose Dylan Moore again Ryan Bliss available to hold down the castle to the middle of the middle Cole Young ready for his MLB debut.
First base seems like an easy hole for the club to fill. They have long been associated with meeting veterans Justin Turnerwhich helped to strengthen their foundation to start mixing down and be able to pair well Luke RaleyA left-handed bat in the area. Other than that it is possible, many active options for veterans such as Mark Canha again Anthony Rizzo still available in free agency, not to mention trades like Yandy Diaz, Luis Arraez, and LaMonte Wade Jr. which can give more influence on the value of the trading currency. Even after the first talent rush just before the New Year, plenty of options are still available for the club to consider as they look to develop Raley and the youngster. Tyler Locklear.
The third premise, however, is more complicated. Although many players may be available at least in theory in this area this winter, Alex Bregman again Nolan Arenado both seem to be out of the Mariners’ price range. Another potential trade candidate, Eugenio Suarez, also appears to be ineligible as the Mariners traded Suarez one season ago. Beyond Bregman, several options available in free agency offer more obvious upgrades Josh Rojasthe club that used him in third place last year before losing him in November.
Pause does not seem to be an option in the area, either: Austin Shenton again Leo Rivas at least he can replace but have a combined 136 plate appearances at the major league level, requiring one veteran addition to take the lion’s share of reps at the hot corner. With a seemingly tight budget and little internal solutions available, who could be the club’s real target this winter?
Free agents
- Ha-Seong Kim: Kim, 29, is arguably the best free agent to hit the Mariners’ budget given his 106+ wRC+ and all-around defense over the past three seasons. MLBTR predicted that Kim would receive a relatively inexpensive, $12MM annual contract before the 2025 season at the start of the season, but as the market has picked up some reports have indicated that he could receive a multi-year deal this winter and depending on how the bidding goes, it’s easy to imagine things going through. Seattle’s comfort zone. Despite the possibility of Kim making a deal that exceeds what Seattle is willing to offer, Kim has played both shortstop and second base more often than third throughout his career. With Kim looking to rebuild his stock after shoulder surgery, it wouldn’t be surprising if he preferred to sign somewhere where he could be a regular shortstop. He will be an upgrade on defense JP Crawfordbut the Mariners have shown no desire to remove him from this position so far.
- Paul DeJong: DeJong, 31, was a decent player in a short stint with the Cardinals early in his career and even made the All-Star game back in 2019. However, his offense regressed after that season, and he struggled to a 72 wRC+ from 2020 through 2023. Last season was one of the most recurring things for the veteran, however, as he split time between the White Sox and Royals and managed to hit a decent amount. .227/.276/.427 (95 wRC+) in 139 games with strong glovework at both shortstop and, more importantly in this context, third base. That decent season should allow him to easily beat the $1.75MM guarantee he landed in Chicago last winter, though he should still be an affordable option for the Waters this winter. It’s easy to imagine DeJong jumping at the chance if he’s given a regular start in Seattle, but it’s fair to wonder if the Mariners would be as interested in him as a fit. After all, they just parted ways with Rojas in November despite his poor glove performance due to his below-average offense, and DeJong’s 32.4% strikeout rate last year runs counter to the contact-oriented approach the club has tried to cultivate in recent years.
- Yoan Moncada: Moncada could be an interesting candidate for the third base job in Seattle. A former outfielder, Moncada worked his way up and down the ranks with the White Sox before things fell apart due to injuries a few years ago. He’s only played in 104 games over the past two seasons, but has a respectable 101 wRC+ in that span. It’s far from easy to imagine him returning to something close to the 120 wRC+ he posted with Chicago in 2021, though it’s possible that (like DeJong) his career-high strikeout numbers could give the Mariners a moment. That said, Moncada’s offensive profile when healthy is stronger than DeJong’s, and given his limited track record in recent years the infielder should still be more affordable.
- Jose Iglesias: Iglesias is coming off a career year with the Mets that saw him hit .337/.381/.448 (137 wRC+) in 291 plate appearances in 85 games. This is the type of performance that should make him an attractive player on almost any club’s bench, but the Mariners could stand out from others who might want to court him by giving him a regular role. That being said, there are many reasons for concern in Iglesias’ profile. The veteran outfielder will play all of next season at age 35, and it’s impossible to imagine him repeating the .382 BABIP that made him an above-average hitter last year. He also has no experience at third base, although he played the position well (+2 Outs Above Average) when he was called up by the Mets last year. Iglesias’ contact-oriented approach could hold some appeal in Seattle, and he could be an attractive option for the club if they’re interested in giving bigger roles to youngsters like Shenton and Rivas.
Trade Candidates
- Alec Bohm: Bohm stands out on this list in part because the club has already expressed interest in his services this winter. Those talks understandably turned out to be awkward when the Phillies requested it Logan Gilbert or George Kirby in return for Bohm’s services, but if Philadelphia decides to lower his asking price as the postseason drags on he remains one of the best fits for the Mariners this winter. While Bohm’s defense at the hot corner often left a lot to be desired, he slashed a solid .280/.332/.448 (115 wRC+) last year and struck out just 14.2% of the time, making him a great fit for a club that tends to shy away from hitters if possible. If Bohm’s asking price stays anywhere near where it has been this offseason, however, it’s hard to imagine the trade coming together.
- Willi Castro: Castro, 28 in April, has started 48 games at third base in his career so far but is a solid player with more experience at shortstop and second base, suggesting he should be able to handle the heat. the corner is relatively easy. Since joining the Twins before the 2023 season, Castro has put back 108 wRC+ seasons while accumulating 5.6 fWAR. Minnesota doesn’t seem willing to pay the $6.2MM MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects Castro will earn in his final outing in arbitration, but that’s a price the Mariners should have little trouble dealing with in general at the position of need.
- Brett Baty: Baty, 25, is different from the other potential trade candidates discussed because he only has 169 MLB games under his belt. A former consensus top 30 hitter, Baty has struggled so far in his big league career and hit .229/.306/.327 (83 wRC+) in 50 games with the Mets this past season. The emergence of Mark Vientos appeared to have punched Baty out of the way of playing with the team in 2025, especially if Pete Alonso eventually returns to Queens. That would make Baty more valuable to the club, and if the Mariners can’t find a more reliable veteran option in free agency or the trade market it would be very understandable for the club to focus on rolling the dice on a player with Baty’s offensive prowess and expected pedigree.
Source link
