News Mariners Team Notes

[Seattle Mariners]

This is a Seattle Mariners news feed.

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Analyst Says Mariners Recently Had A ‘Great Signing’

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Seattle Mariners missed the postseason for the second straight season after finishing with a record of 85-77 and coming in second place in the American League West.

Although the Mariners made the playoffs in 2022, before that, their last playoff appearance came all the way back in 2001.

The Mariners went into the offseason and have been relatively quiet thus far as they have only acquired a couple of notable players including Donovan Solano and Miles Mastrobuoni.

While the Mariners have been quiet, MLB Analyst Sean Casey says their recent move to bring back Jorge Polanco was a great signing.

“I think it’s a great signing, I think Seattle knows there’s more left in the tank,” Casey said via MLB Network on ‘X.’

"It's a great signing. I think Seattle knows there's more left in the tank."#MLBNHotStove discusses the Mariners bringing back Jorge Polanco to help bolster their infield. pic.twitter.com/rbBmlajzSc

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 31, 2025

Polanco came into the league in 2014 with the Minnesota Twins where he played his first 10 MLB seasons before going to the Mariners in 2024.

In 2024 with the Mariners, Polanco played in 118 games where he batted .213 with 16 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .651 OPS.

While these numbers don’t appear great, Casey believes that the Mariners know Polanco still has more in the tank at 31 years old.

In 2021 with the Twins, Polanco played in 152 games where he batted .269 with 33 home runs, 98 RBIs, and a .826 OPS.

If Polanco can get back to his numbers from 2021, the Mariners could have a steal compared to the price they paid to bring him back.

The Mariners haven’t won a division title since 2001, and if they can bring back a healthy and productive Polanco, he could give them a boost to make a run at winning the division.

The post Analyst Says Mariners Recently Had A ‘Great Signing’ appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/analyst-says-mariners-recently-had-a-great-signing/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners Sign Pitcher That Hasn’t Pitched Since 2021

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Seattle Mariners missed the postseason for a second straight season after finishing with a record of 85-77 and coming in second in the American League West.

Although the Mariners made the playoffs in 2022, before that, their last playoff appearance came back in 2001.

As they try to avoid another long stretch of missing the postseason, they’ve made a couple of notable moves this offseason.

The Mariners acquired infielder Donovan Solano from the San Diego Padres and infielder/outfielder Miles Mastrobuoni from the Chicago Cubs.

Another player, who hasn’t played Major League Baseball since 2001, recently signed as well.

“The Mariners have signed Neftali Feliz to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training,” FOX Sports: MLB wrote on X.

The Mariners have signed Neftalí Feliz to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.

Feliz hasn't pitched in the majors since 2021 pic.twitter.com/pAEbu37nKW

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 30, 2025

Feliz debuted in 2009 with the Texas Rangers and played until 2017 before missing the 2018 through 2020 seasons and then coming back to play in 2021.

That season, he appeared in five games and threw a total of four innings with two organizations.

In 2017 with the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals, Feliz appeared in 49 games and was 2-5 with a 5.48 ERA, eight saves and 37 strikeouts in 46.0 innings pitched.

The 36-year-old relief pitcher hasn’t had any action in Major League Baseball in three seasons, so it will be interesting to see how things go for him and the Mariners.

Seattle hasn’t won the AL West since 2001 and will try to change that in 2025.

The post Mariners Sign Pitcher That Hasn’t Pitched Since 2021 appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mariners-sign-pitcher-that-hasnt-pitched-since-2021/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Ichiro Suzuki Makes Offer To Voter Who Left Him Off Hall Of Fame Ballot

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Major League Baseball offseason has kept the attention of fans with a free agent class of players that is loaded with talent.

As the offseason winds down, there was another big announcement involving the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees.

Earning the honor were CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner and Ichiro Suzuki.

It was Suzuki’s first year on the ballot, and the Seattle Mariners superstar fell one vote short of becoming a unanimous selection.

Suzuki recently had a message for that voter.

“I would like to invite him over to my house and have a drink together, and we will have a good chat,” Suzuki said, via FOX Sports: MLB.

Ichiro on the one writer who didn't vote for him:

"I would like to invite him over to my house and have a drink together, and we will have a good chat."

(via @sny)pic.twitter.com/DuOyegMwfQ

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) January 23, 2025

While Suzuki was likely joking in his statement, it begs the question of what reasoning that voter had to leave him off of the ballot.

He would have become the second player to be a unanimous selection, joining New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera (2019).

After starring in Japan, Suzuki joined MLB in 2001 with the Mariners and played 19 seasons for three organizations.

His career stats include 2,653 MLB games played with a .311 batting average, 3,089 hits, 117 home runs, 780 RBIs, 509 stolen bases and a .757 OPS.

Known for his speed and infield hits, Suzuki proved he was worthy of the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, even if one voter didn’t think so.

The post Ichiro Suzuki Makes Offer To Voter Who Left Him Off Hall Of Fame Ballot appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/ichiro-suzuki-makes-offer-to-voter-who-left-him-off-hall-of-fame-ballot/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners, Orioles Are Discussing Trade For Starting Pitcher

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Major League Baseball offseason has involved plenty of big-name players switching teams either via trade or as free agents.

With top free agent Juan Soto building the drama, he eventually signed with the New York Mets on a 15-year deal worth $765 million.

One offseason trade that stands out was the Chicago White Sox sending ace starting pitcher Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox.

MLB analyst Jon Morosi recently revealed another possible trade in the works for an ace starting pitcher.

“The Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners have talked before and in recent days about a potential [Luis] Castillo trade to Baltimore,” Morosi said, via MLB Network.

"The Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners have talked before and in recent days about a potential [Luis] Castillo trade to Baltimore…"

– @jonmorosi on #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/nvIf3sFIDc

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 6, 2025

Morosi mentions that the Orioles and Mariners had been in talks previously about a Castillo trade and that Seattle will likely want a bat in return.

Another possibility is that the Mariners trade Castillo to free up some money to sign an offensive player such as Pete Alonso or Alex Bregman.

Castillo debuted in 2017 with the Cincinnati Reds and was traded to the Mariners in 2022.

In 2024, he started 30 games and was 11-12 with a 3.64 ERA and 175 strikeouts in 175.1 innings pitched.

The three-time All-Star could be seen as a replacement for Corbin Burnes in Baltimore after he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The post Mariners, Orioles Are Discussing Trade For Starting Pitcher appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mariners-orioles-are-discussing-trade-for-starting-pitcher/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Free Agent First Baseman Was Not Happy With Insider’s Recent Report

(Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

The Major League Baseball offseason has seen plenty of free agent players signing with new teams recently, which has kept the excitement level high.

After the signing of the top free agent Juan Soto to the New York Mets, the floodgates opened with multiple players signing with new teams shortly after.

Over the weekend, four first basemen switched teams including Christian Walker signing with the Houston Astros, Paul Goldschmidt signing with the New York Yankees, and Josh Naylor going to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

MLB Analyst Jeff Passan outlined the recent transactions on ‘X,’ and detailed the first basemen still available, but Seattle Mariners free agent Justin Turner was not happy about being left off of the list.

pic.twitter.com/1oZlkXfrGH

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) December 22, 2024

Turner was left off of Passan’s list of available first basemen, and showed his displeasure by replying to the post on ‘X.’

The first baseman is now 40 years old but has reportedly said he plans to play in the 2025 season.

Turner began 2024 with the Toronto Blue Jays but ended the year with the Mariners before becoming a free agent this offseason.

In 2024 combined between the Blue Jays and the Mariners, Turner played in 139 games and batted .259 with 11 home runs, 55 RBIs, and a .737 OPS.

It is unclear if Passan simply forgot to add Turner’s name or if he believed Turner wasn’t a notable available first baseman.

Turner showed that he is still a capable MLB player in 2024, and it will be interesting to see how he performs in 2025 in his age 40 season if given the chance.

The post Free Agent First Baseman Was Not Happy With Insider’s Recent Report appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/free-agent-first-baseman-was-not-happy-with-insiders-recent-report/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners Are Showing Interest In Trading For Guardians Infielder

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Fans of the Seattle Mariners have not had much to cheer for lately.

The Mariners missed the postseason for the second straight season after finishing with a record of 85-77.

They will need to make some moves this offseason to get their team back to a competitive level.

According to B/R Walk-Off on ‘X,’ MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that Josh Naylor’s name has come up in trade talks between the Mariners and the Cleveland Guardians.

Josh Naylor's name has come up in trade talks between the Guardians and Mariners, per @jonmorosi pic.twitter.com/zvaxITA3iN

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 19, 2024

Naylor entered the league in 2019 with the San Diego Padres before going to the Guardians in 2020.

In 2024, Naylor played 152 games for the Guardians, batting .243 with 31 home runs, 108 RBIs, and a .776 OPS.

One of the Mariners’ main weak spots is their offense, so trading for Naylor would make some sense for the team.

The Mariners have plenty of solid starting pitchers on their staff, and they would make good trade bait for the team to obtain better bats in their lineup.

In 2024, Naylor, only 27 years old, scored career highs in home runs, RBIs, and runs.

The Mariners have finished second in the American League West division three out of the last four years but haven’t won a division title since 2001.

If the Mariners want a chance to win their first World Series title in franchise history, they must be aggressive this offseason.

The post Mariners Are Showing Interest In Trading For Guardians Infielder appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mariners-are-showing-interest-in-trading-for-guardians-infielder/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners GM Reveals What The Team Is Looking To Add This Offseason

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Seattle Mariners missed the postseason for the second straight season after finishing with a record of 85-77.

Over the last 23 seasons, the Mariners have only made the postseason once, ending with them being swept in the American League Division Series.

The Mariners will try to address their recent struggles this offseason by potentially making some moves to improve their roster.

Mariners GM Justin Hollander revealed what the team wants to add this offseason.

“We’d love to add a first baseman,” Hollander said via MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM.

"We're open to a bunch of different combinations."

Seattle fans await the #Mariners first big move of the offseason.

https://t.co/fGPbvbjGlC pic.twitter.com/2x9H4GD5OR

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 15, 2024

Hollander says a first baseman would be their first choice to add in the offseason, but they could use multiple infielders if possible.

One name that comes up is Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas, who could be a trade target for starting pitcher Luis Castillo.

Hollander did not buy into this conversation as he stated how great of a teammate Castillo is and that he enjoys Castillo being a Mariner.

The Mariners finished in second place in the American League West in 2024, and they have not won a division title since 2001.

With plenty of good starting pitchers on their roster, the Mariners have some good trade bait if they choose to take that path to try and upgrade their infield and offense.

The Mariners have never won a World Series title, and they hope to add some key pieces this offseason to give the team a chance to make a postseason run in 2025.

Casas will be a name to keep an eye on as the offseason moves forward.

The post Mariners GM Reveals What The Team Is Looking To Add This Offseason appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mariners-gm-reveals-what-the-team-is-looking-to-add-this-offseason/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners Are Reportedly Showing Interest In Trading For Phillies Veteran

(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

The Seattle Mariners missed the postseason for a second straight season in 2024 after finishing with a record of 85-77.

Although the Mariners have had four consecutive winning seasons, they have made the playoffs once in those seasons, which resulted in them being swept in the American League Division Series.

To make matters worse, that was the Mariners’ only postseason trip in the past 23 seasons.

Seattle came into this offseason looking to make some moves, and MLB analyst Jon Morosi recently revealed that they have interest in Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm.

“The Mariners, yes, are one of the teams that have spoken to the Phillies about him,” Morosi said, via MLB Network.

The Mariners are reportedly interested in trading for Phillies' 3B Alec Bohm.@jonmorosi says if Philly were to move Bohm, Alex Bregman's name “has come up" as a potential replacement at third base. pic.twitter.com/ajCfXmpqrD

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 5, 2024

Bohm made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2020 and has played all five years of his career with them.

Morosi mentions that the Phillies want to shake up their lineup for next season, and Bohm is one of their everyday players they are willing to move.

Bohm played 143 games for the Phillies in 2024 and batted .280 with 15 home runs, 97 RBIs and a .779 OPS.

Morosi also mentions that trades may be a better idea than free agents for the Mariners as their stadium can be one of the tougher places to hit.

The Mariners are still seeking the first World Series title in franchise history after playing their inaugural season in 1977.

With their last American League West title coming back in 2001, the Mariners have some work to do this offseason if they want to contend for a championship.

The post Mariners Are Reportedly Showing Interest In Trading For Phillies Veteran appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/mariner...ing-interest-in-trading-for-phillies-veteran/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Analyst Names 1 Team As The Ultimate Destination For Blake Snell

(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

The Seattle Mariners missed the postseason for the second straight season as they finished with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses.

After making the postseason in 2022, the Mariners have not made the playoffs in either of the past two seasons even though they have had winning records both years.

The Mariners will be exploring the free agent class this offseason as they try to win the American League West for the first time since 2001.

MLB Analyst Kevin Frandsen believes that the Mariners should sign free-agent starting pitcher Blake Snell this offseason.

“To me, Seattle is it. I think that is the ultimate spot,” Frandsen said regarding where Blake Snell should sign.

Could Blake Snell land in the Pacific Northwest as a free agent?

https://t.co/fGPbvbjGlC pic.twitter.com/M06lYYceXh

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) November 16, 2024

Frandsen explains that Snell signing in Seattle would allow the Mariners to then trade one or two of their other starting pitchers for better offensive players.

The Mariners have had issues scoring runs in recent history, and Frandsen believes that signing Snell would allow the Mariners to address the offensive issues by trading other valuable starting pitchers.

Snell pitched for the San Francisco Giants in 2024 where he started 20 games and had a record of five wins and three losses with a 3.12 ERA and 145 strikeouts in 104.0 innings pitched.

The National League Cy Young Award winner in 2023 battled some injuries in 2024 but was still able to put together a solid season in his first year with the Giants.

Snell is one of the top starting pitcher free agents this year, and it will be interesting to see if the Mariners attempt to sign him before the 2025 season.

The post Analyst Names 1 Team As The Ultimate Destination For Blake Snell appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/analyst-names-1-team-as-the-ultimate-destination-for-blake-snell/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Analyst Believes Mariners Could Be An Option For Roki Sasaki

(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)

The Major League Baseball offseason is underway as free agent players begin to speak to new teams ahead of the 2025 season.

Most of the attention has been surrounding New York Yankees star outfielder Juan Soto as he is the biggest name in this year’s free agent class.

One other player who is gaining some popularity is starting pitcher Roki Sasaki who is coming over from Japan to sign as a free agent.

It is believed that the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorite to sign Sasaki, but MLB Analyst Trevor May thinks another team could be a good fit for the starting pitcher.

“The team I really want to see him talk to has not even been mentioned, which is the Seattle Mariners,” May said.

Our own @JimBowdenGM says that the #Dodgers may not be the favorites to sign Roki Sasaki.@IamTrevorMay sees the #Mariners as a great fit for the Japanese phenom:#TridentsUp

https://t.co/fGPbvbjGlC pic.twitter.com/kJKzfmdGCQ

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) November 17, 2024

The Mariners finished the 2024 season with a record of 85 wins and 77 losses which landed them in second place in the American League West.

Although the Mariners finished with a winning record, they missed the postseason for the second straight year, and they have only made the playoffs once in the last 23 seasons.

Sasaki pitched 18 games for his team overseas in 2024 and had a record of 10 wins and five losses with a 2.35 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 111.0 innings pitched.

Although the Mariners have not been mentioned to be in talks with Sasaki, May thinks that they would be a good fit and allow Sasaki to both gain popularity and develop as a pitcher.

The Mariners will look to win the American League West for the first time since 2001 as they navigate their options in the free agent class.

The post Analyst Believes Mariners Could Be An Option For Roki Sasaki appeared first on The Cold Wire.

Source: https://www.thecoldwire.com/analyst-believes-mariners-could-be-an-option-for-roki-sasaki/

 

[Seattle Mariners]

George Kirby Shut Down Due To Shoulder Inflammation, Will Open Season On Injured List

Star Mariners right-hander George Kirby has been shut down from throwing due to shoulder inflammation and will very likely open the 2025 season on the 15-day injured list, general manager Justin Hollander announced to the team’s beat today (video link via Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). There’s no structural damage at play, and Hollander made clear that Kirby felt he could continue pitching, but the team is understandably taking a cautious approach with such an important member of the pitching staff. Said Hollander:

“George Kirby has not been feeling great after his outings. In the outings, he’s throwing the ball well — same velocity as you would expect. He just hasn’t felt like he’s bouncing back great. We did an MRI — MRI looks great. No structural concerns whatsoever, and I will repeat that: zero structural concerns. There is some inflammation in there that we need to get out, so much to George’s chagrin, we are going to take the ball out of his hands. … This is more like a week-to-week thing than a day-to-day thing. We just want to make sure we’re doing the right thing for the big picture of the whole season as opposed to worrying about Opening Day.”

Hollander didn’t paint the issue as one that would require a long-term absence, but it’s nevertheless a cause for concern and a blow to the team’s short-term outlook. Kirby, the 20th overall pick in the 2019 draft, made his big league debut in 2022 and immediately cemented himself as one of the sport’s most promising young pitchers. The now-27-year-old righty has pitched 511 2/3 innings in the major and turned in a 3.43 ERA with a solid 23.3% strikeout rate and a minuscule 3.1% walk rate. He has arguably the best command of any pitcher in MLB and has parlayed that into an All-Star appearance and a top-10 Cy Young finish in his young career.

Kirby has never been on the major league injured list, though Divish notes that he missed a month during the 2021 minor league season due to mild inflammation in his shoulder and also had a bout of inflammation while pitching at the Mariners’ alternate site during the shortened 2020 season. Neither instance proved to be a long-term issue, and the M’s are surely hopeful that’ll be the case this time around as well.

There’s no immediate timetable for Kirby’s return. In his absence, Seattle will still have an outstanding top-four consisting of Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo. Righty Emerson Hancock is the most experienced depth option on the 40-man roster, although the former No. 6 overall pick (2020) hasn’t yet lived up to that draft billing. He’s pitched in the majors in each of the past two seasons and delivered 72 1/3 innings with a 4.71 ERA. Hancock’s 7% walk rate is strong, but his 14.3% strikeout rate ranks seventh-lowest among the 449 pitchers with at least 70 combined innings over the past two seasons.

Other depth options in camp include righty Blas Castano, who’s also on the 40-man roster (but has not yet made his MLB debut) and non-roster invitees Logan Evans, Jhonathan Diaz, Luis F. Castillo and Casey Lawrence. Evans is generally ranked within the top 10 of an absolutely stacked Mariners farm system after posting a 3.20 ERA in 107 Double-A innings last year. He’s not far from being MLB-ready. Diaz and Lawrence are journeymen who’ve both had brief stints with the M’s in the past. Castillo made a brief MLB debut with the 2022 Tigers and has since spent two seasons in Japan, pitching to solid results.

For all the accolades heaped on their top-five starters, the Mariners are relatively light on depth options behind that prized quintet. It’s difficult to convince veterans who settle for minor league deals to sign on with a team that pretty clearly lacks a path to the majors, as exemplified by the Mariners and Phillies in recent seasons. The M’s generally need to rely on in-house development for depth. Hancock and Evans are products of that process, but the Mariners have also seen prospects like Taylor Dollard and Sam Carlson derailed by injury and traded others like Adam Macko, Connor Phillips, Brandon Williamson and Levi Stoudt in recent years.

It seems unlikely the Mariners would immediately go outside the organization for any sort of notable addition. Beyond the fact that Kirby doesn’t appear ticketed for a long-term absence, the M’s have scant payroll space, as their bare-bones offseason made abundantly clear. Beyond that, any new arms brought into the fold might not be built up in time to factor into the Opening Day rotation.

One route the team could take would be opportunistically grabbing a rotation arm off waivers if the opportunity presents itself, or scooping up a veteran who’s been in camp with another club but is informed he won’t make that team’s Opening Day roster. There aren’t any immediate options available in that regard, but as teams begin to set their rosters in the weeks ahead, both avenues can become more viable paths for Seattle to bolster its depth.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/mariners-george-kirby-shoulder-injured-list.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Justin Turner, Jerry Dipoto Discuss State Of Mariners

There seems to be a great deal of frustration surrounding the Mariners, which isn’t limited to the fanbase. Former Mariner Justin Turner sounded off on the situation to Bob Nightengale of USA Today yesterday, blasting the organization for its lack of aggression. That column led to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times seeking the response of various players, who kept themselves anonymous. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto also spoke about the state of the franchise to Sam Blum of The Athletic in a piece published today, though the piece didn’t reference Turner’s comments or the USA Today piece and said the Dipoto interview actually took place “earlier” this spring.

“The fact that they missed the playoffs by one game, and didn’t go out and add an impact bat or two when you have the best pitching staff in baseball,” Turner said to Nightengale, “just seems absurd to me.”

The Mariners went 85-77 last year, a solid season and their fourth straight above .500. But as Turner mentioned, they narrowly missed the playoffs, just as they did in 2021 and 2023. Their postseason appearance in 2022 is their only one since 2001. Their decent-but-underwhelming results last year were the result of an imbalanced team. Their 3.49 earned run average was tied with Atlanta for best in the league. The starting staff’s 3.38 ERA was best in the majors. But the offense was more middling, with a .224/.311/.376 batting line as a club.

The club surely would have loved to add more offense but didn’t have significant resources to do so. Reporting throughout the winter indicated that the Mariners were going to increase payroll by around $15MM relative to last year. Cot’s Baseball Contracts estimated their Opening Day payroll at $140MM. RosterResource projects them to go into 2025 at $152MM, a $12MM increase. Their free agent signings this winter have been a $3.5MM deal for Donovan Solano, a 37-year-old infielder, and bringing back Jorge Polanco. The M’s turned down a $12MM club option on Polanco, opting for the $750K buyout, but re-signed him via a one-year, $7.75MM deal with a player/vesting option.

Generally speaking, the club hasn’t been a big player in free agency. Cot’s hasn’t had the club’s payroll higher than 11th in the league in any of the past 15 seasons. They’ve been in the bottom half of the league in each of the past five years. In the past decade, they have only twice given a free agent a guarantee larger than $24MM. Yusei Kikuchi got a four-year, $56MM deal back in 2019, though he opted out after three years. Robbie Ray got a five-year, $115MM deal but was traded to the Giants after two years.

Turner was acquired from the Blue Jays at last year’s deadline and finished the year with the Mariners. According to Divish, the club offered him a deal to return, with the guarantee larger than the $6MM pact he eventually accepted from the Cubs. At the time of the offer from the M’s, Turner seemingly felt he could do better and didn’t accept, which prompted the M’s to pivot to Solano and Polanco.

Turner made clear that his criticism wasn’t mere sour grapes about not being re-signed. “Honestly, as much as I wanted to be back there,” Turner said to Nightengale, “if I was the only piece they brought back in, I would be saying the same thing: What the hell are we doing? Are you trying? There’s not going to a better time to go for it. So, I don’t know what they’re doing. I’m very confused. It’s a head-scratcher for me.”

Ultimately, the criticism is mostly geared towards ownership and the lack of resources it has provided to the front office. “I thought [Pete] Alonso was a slam-dunk,” Turner said. “How can you not go after him? You kidding me?” But Alonso re-signed with the Mets on a two-year, $54MM deal. He will get $30MM of that in the first year, which is double what the Mariners had to work with this winter. Turner emphasized that he didn’t hold Dipoto responsible for the parameters he was given.

“I think Jerry catches a bad rap for a lot of these trades and how crazy some of these trades have been,” Turner said. “But now being a part of it, I kind of understand. He doesn’t have any money to spend, so he’s got to create money. Like, OK, is it really Jerry’s fault?” Turner then referenced the 2021 trade wherein the M’s sent Kendall Graveman to the Astros for Abraham Toro, saying he “probably needed to trade guys just to be able to spend money in the offseason, which is nuts.”

Turner also expressed sympathy for the club’s frustrated supporters who are caught up in the situation. “I feel for them. They’ve got great fans. Their fans are amazing. They want to win so bad. The team is very profitable. And they don’t spend.”

It’s perhaps illustrative of a level of discontent that exists in the Seattle clubhouse but doesn’t always come out. Catcher Cal Raleigh expressed some frustration after the club’s disappointing 2023 season finished, though he later apologized. “We’ve got to commit to winning,” Raleigh said at that time, “to going and getting those players. You see other teams going out, going for it, getting big-time pitchers, getting big-time hitters. We have to do that to keep up.”

Turner is no longer in the organization and is also 40 years old, meaning he doesn’t have to fear any negative repercussions for speaking out. The incumbent Mariners who spoke to Divish refrained from going on the record but seemed to largely agree with Turner’s points.

Though the player frustration seemed to be largely pointed at ownership, many Seattle fans have their frustrations with Dipoto. His now-infamous “54%” comments from October of 2023 are sort of legendary among his haters. For those unfamiliar, after the club just missed the playoffs in October of 2023, Dipoto said that “teams that win 54 percent of the time always wind up in the postseason and they more often than not wind up in a World Series. … Nobody wants to hear ‘the goal this year is we’re going to win 54 percent of the time.’ But over time that type of mindset gets you there.”

Blum asked him about those comments and his general ability to speak in a manner that seems to rub people the wrong way. “People obviously didn’t understand it the way I expressed it,” Dipoto said. “My guess is that 98 percent of people didn’t actually listen to it. They just read it off a tweet. It’s what it is. Maybe they wouldn’t have understood it any better had they heard the whole thing. And that’s on me for poorly communicating what I think is a simple idea.”

Dipoto says he has scaled back his media appearances since he’s aware that he’s become something of a lightning rod. “Truly, I could say ‘hello,’” Dipoto said, “and it would turn into a thing right now.” He also expressed to Blum that the very interviewing he was giving would probably not be well received. “I’m gonna get roasted,” he said to Blum.

He did somewhat attempt to frame the lack of spending as a strategy, saying that most great teams have been “built on a foundation of draft, sign, develop or trade. That’s what we’ve communicated to our fans for a decade.” Though at the same time, he also said he’s aware there’s a desire for “The big move. The grand slam. The big free agent.” and that “maybe that’ll happen at some point” but they “didn’t think this was the right time, or the right group of players that fit for us.”

Regardless of how one feels about it, the club is largely banking on the Seattle lineup continuing a strong finish to the 2024 season. The club acquired both Turner and Randy Arozarena at the deadline last year. A few weeks later, they fired manager Scott Servais and hitting coach Jarret DeHart. Servais was replaced by Dan Wilson while Edgar Martínez took over as hitting coach. Martínez is still with the club but with the title of senior director, hitting strategy. He’s not expected to go on road trips, with Kevin Seitzer now to be the club’s primary hitting coach, though he will apparently report to Martínez.

For what it’s worth, the M’s hit .264/.347/.433 in the month of September. That translated to a 128 wRC+ for that month, a mark that trailed only the Dodgers. That was a huge upgrade over the .216/.304/.364 they hit from March to August. We’re talking about just one month, and some of Seattle’s opponents were out of contention and playing out the string. But if there was any meaningful improvement in there that the M’s could carry over, they could be in a better position than last year. If not, it could lead to another offseason of frustration in Seattle.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/justin-turner-jerry-dipoto-discuss-state-of-mariners.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

MLBTR Podcast: Jose Quintana, Luis Gil’s Injury, The Nats’ TV Situation, Salary Floor Talk, And More!

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

• The Brewers having an agreement with Jose Quintana (1:20)
• Luis Gil of the Yankees to be shut down for at least six weeks (5:15)

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

• With MASN now solved and stadium naming rights and jersey patches on the way do you see the Nationals making the leap into big spenders sooner than later? (12:30)
• Do you see the MLBPA pushing for a salary floor? (22:05)
• Will the White Sox trade Luis Robert Jr. before the start of the regular season? (25:20)
• While neither is particularly likely, is it more probable that the Pirates extend Paul Skenes or the Reds extend Elly De La Cruz? (27:40)
• What is your opinion of the White Sox upper management and will they lose 100 games this year? (30:45)
• The Mets are loaded with infield prospects. Do they trade Jeff McNeil to make room? (37:30)
• With the Tigers’ outfield injuries, do they go get a right-handed bat? And who is available? (42:00)
• With the Mariners bringing back most of their position players, what are the chances they get better production from them in 2025? (44:30)
• Does David Bote have a legitimate shot to make the Dodgers’ roster? (50:35)
• Why doesn’t MLB expand to 36 teams instead of just 32? (51:35)

Check out our past episodes!

• Atlanta’s Pitching Depth, Iglesias, Jobe, Castillo, And More! – listen here
• Alex Bregman, The Padres Add Players, And No Extension For Vlad Jr. – listen here
• Pete Alonso’s Deal, And Potential Landing Spots For Bregman and Arenado – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...-tv-situation-salary-floor-talk-and-more.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners Claim Seth Martinez

The Mariners announced that right-hander Seth Martinez was claimed off waivers from the Marlins. Righty Jackson Kowar was placed on the 60-day injured list in Seattle’s corresponding roster move.

Miami designated Martinez for assignment earlier this week, and today’s move makes it four different organizations in a little under four months’ time for the 30-year-old reliever. After spending his first four MLB seasons with the Astros, Martinez was designated for assignment in early November and claimed by the Diamondbacks. He then went to the Marlins on another waiver claim on February 20 before being DFA’ed again a week later, and now Martinez finds himself back in the AL West.

Martinez is out of minor league options, which somewhat explains his carousel of an offseason. With teams prizing flexibility within their bullpens, Martinez’s status makes him something of the proverbial 26th man, while also still having enough value that several teams are interested in having him on their rosters.

Over 111 appearances and 137 1/3 innings with Houston, Martinez often worked as a multi-inning reliever, so the Mariners would deploy him in that same capacity if he ends up on the Opening Day roster. Martinez has a career 3.93 ERA, though his strikeout rate fell rather sharply from 23.1% in 2023 to just 16.2% last season. Between that dropoff and other uninspiring Statcast metrics, the Astros felt comfortable in exposing Martinez to DFA waivers, leading to his busy winter of changing teams.

An innings-eating reliever always carries some usefulness, even on a Mariners team with an unusually durable starting rotation. A good Spring Training performance might help Martinez break camp with the team, or he might find himself on the waiver wire yet again before Opening Day.

Kowar underwent a Tommy John surgery almost exactly one year ago, so he was expected to miss some time at the start of the 2025 season as he finishes up his rehab. The 60-day IL placement means that Kowar won’t make his 2025 debut until late May at the earliest.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/mariners-claim-seth-martinez.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

10 Out Of Options Players To Watch This Spring

One of the most interesting elements of spring training every year, at least for those of us who feast on roster construction minutiae, is the collection of players who are out of minor league options. MLBTR just released a full list of such players earlier today.

In many instances, a player being out of minor league options is inconsequential. Justin Steele, Isaac Paredes and Evan Phillips are among the players who fit that description but are in no risk of losing their MLB roster spot. They're all key players on big league rosters who'd never be in danger of being sent down to the minors anyhow.

However, there are typically a handful of players every spring who are on the roster bubble with their current club but who could be a better fit on a team with less competition in their current position. Most of these players have already had big league opportunities with their current club but whether due to injury or poor performance (or both) have yet to firmly seize hold of a roster spot. As players exhaust their minor league options, they'll tend to face increased competition from younger players progressing through the minor league ranks and/or external additions made via trade or free agency. An out-of-options player who doesn't fit his current roster can still go on to find a more solid role and some success elsewhere. Joey Bart was in just this spot last year and after being squeezed out in San Francisco has emerged as Pittsburgh's starting catcher. The Yankees didn't have a spot for Ben Rortvedt, but he's the Rays' clear No. 2 catcher now.

Let's run through 10 names to keep an eye on this spring. Not all of these players will lose their roster spots, and even some who do might not wind up making an impact elsewhere. But each of the names listed here has some reason to hold a bit more intrigue than many of their out-of-options brethren (players listed alphabetically)...

Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription​

BENEFITS

• Access weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco.
• Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony.
• Remove ads and support our writers.
• Access GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/10-out-of-options-players-mlb-spring-training.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

MLBTR Podcast: Atlanta’s Pitching Depth, Iglesias, Jobe, Castillo, And More!

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors for a mailbag episode. We spent the entire show answering questions from listeners, including…

• Can the Braves seriously go into the season with this rotation depth? (1:50)
• Could the Braves add to the bullpen before the season starts? (9:25)
• Why is David Robertson not signed? (13:00)
• Could the Mets and Jose Iglesias reunite on a one-year, $5MM deal with a vesting option? (17:10)
• Should the Cubs have signed Jose Iglesias instead of Justin Turner? (24:35)
• Could there be a battle forming for the final rotation spots for the Tigers between Casey Mize, Kenta Maeda and Jackson Jobe? (30:35)
• Are the Mariners waiting for a pitching injury on another team to trade Luis Castillo? (38:05)
• When a team like the Dodgers does significant deferrals, what year’s payroll does the money go on? (43:50)

Check out our past episodes!

• Alex Bregman, The Padres Add Players, And No Extension For Vlad Jr. – listen here
• Pete Alonso’s Deal, And Potential Landing Spots For Bregman and Arenado – listen here
• Jack Flaherty Back To Detroit, Max Scherzer, And What’s Next For The Padres – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...ng-depth-iglesias-jobe-castillo-and-more.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Salary Details For Several Minor League Deals

Every offseason, the primary focus for baseball fans is on trades and free agent activity. Naturally, major league free agent signings garner the majority of the attention and generate the most buzz. Minor league signees come with less fanfare, typically with good reason. They tend to be older veterans who are looking to extend their playing careers or perhaps younger names looking to rebound from an injury or a disappointing showing the prior season (sometimes the prior few seasons).

As spring training progresses, we’re seeing an uptick in minor league signings. Free agents who’ve lingered on the market and felt their leverage in negotiations dry up begin to concede and accept non-guaranteed pacts to get to camp in hopes of winning a roster spot.

Salary details for minor league signees isn’t as prominently reported on as it is for players signing guaranteed big league deals. The Associated Press just published a list of free agent signings throughout the winter, including within salary details for a handful of (mostly) recent minor league signings. Many of the salaries reported by the AP were already known and reflected here at MLBTR, but the report does include more than two dozen previously unreported base salaries for players on minor league deals. Here’s a quick rundown (player salary links point back to prior MLBTR posts detailing that minor league signing):

Blue Jays: Jacob Barnes, RHP, $1.4MM | Ryan Yarbrough, LHP, $2MM

Braves: Curt Casali, C, $1.25MM | Buck Farmer, RHP, $1MM

Brewers: Manuel Margot, OF, $1.3MM | Mark Canha, 1B/OF, $1.4MM

Cubs: Brooks Kriske, RHP, $900K | Travis Jankowski, OF, $1.25MM | Chris Flexen, RHP, $1.5MM

Diamondbacks: Garrett Hampson, INF/OF, $1.5MM | Scott McGough, RHP, $1.25MM

Dodgers: Luis Garcia, RHP, $1.5MM

Giants: Lou Trivino, RHP, $1.5MM

Mariners: Shintaro Fujinami, RHP, $1.3MM | Trevor Gott, RHP, $1.35MM

Padres: Yuli Gurriel, 1B, $1.35MM ($100K higher than initially reported)

Rangers: Nick Ahmed, SS, $1.25MM | Jesse Chavez, RHP, $1.25MM | David Buchanan, RHP, $1.375MM | Kevin Pillar, OF, $1MM

Red Sox: Matt Moore, LHP, $2MM

Royals: Luke Maile, C, $2MM | Ross Stripling, RHP, $1.75MM

White Sox: Brandon Drury, INF/OF, $2MM | Mike Clevinger, RHP, $1.5MM

A few things bear emphasizing. First, this is clearly not a comprehensive list of minor league signings throughout the league — nor is it even a comprehensive list of the listed teams’ non-roster invitees to camp. Secondly, many of these sums are of little consequence to the team. They’re not even guaranteed, after all, and even if a player makes the Opening Day roster and earns the full slate of his minor league salary, most of these salaries aren’t going to carry significant payroll ramifications.

That’s not true across the board, though. For instance, the Rangers are fully intent on remaining under the $241MM luxury tax threshold. At present, RosterResource projects them at $235.7MM of luxury obligations. Opting to select the contract of Buchanan or Chavez rather than allocating those innings to pre-arbitration players who’s being paid at league-minimum levels (or a few thousand dollars north of it) would inch the Rangers’ CBT number forward. They’re not going to hit the tax line even in if they wind up adding multiple NRIs to the actual roster, but selecting their contracts will further narrow the resources president of baseball ops Chris Young will have at his disposal for midseason dealings.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, are effectively seated right at the tax threshold. RosterResource has them with $241.4MM of luxury considerations. Team president Sam Kennedy said after signing Alex Bregman that he expects his team will be a CBT payor in 2025. As things stand, the Sox could duck back under that threshold, but selecting the contract of Moore, Adam Ottavino (also $2MM) or another prominent NRI would further signal ownership’s willingness to return to luxury tax status for the first time since 2022.

There’s probably no getting back under the tax line for the Blue Jays, who currently have a $273.3MM CBT number. However, the front office would presumably like to avoid reaching $281MM in tax obligations, as that’s the point at which Toronto’s top pick in the 2026 draft would be dropped by ten spots. In-season trades will have more of an effect on their tax number than decisions on NRIs like Barnes, Yarbrough, Eric Lauer and others, but it bears mentioning that the Blue Jays are around $8MM shy of what many clubs consider to be the most detrimental impact of straying to deep into CBT waters.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/salary-details-for-several-minor-league-deals.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners, Garrett Hill Agree To Minor League Deal

The Mariners agreed to a minor league deal with reliever Garrett Hill, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. The former Tigers righty had elected minor league free agency in November.

Hill, 29, pitched for Detroit between 2022-23. He logged 60 1/3 innings across 17 appearances two seasons ago, turning in a 4.03 ERA. His 15.2% strikeout rate and 11% walk percentage weren’t encouraging. That caught up to him the following year, as he allowed more than a run per inning with as many walks as strikeouts across 15 2/3 MLB frames. The Tigers dropped Hill from their 40-man roster after that season. They circled back rather quickly to re-sign him on a minor league pact.

The San Diego State product opened last season on the injured list. He was reinstated in late May and assigned to Double-A Erie. Hill struck out nearly a third of opposing hitters and earned a promotion to Triple-A Toledo a couple months later. He had a tougher time at the top minor league level. Hill allowed 4.76 earned runs per nine over 28 1/3 frames. His strikeout rate fell to 21.7% while his walks jumped to an alarming 19.4% clip.

Hill isn’t likely to get consideration for an Opening Day bullpen spot in Seattle. He’ll begin the season in the upper minors and look to harness the swing-and-miss stuff he’s shown in the minors. Hill has a 28.7% strikeout rate and a near-11% walk rate over six minor league campaigns.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/mariners-garrett-hill-agree-to-minor-league-deal.html

 

[Seattle Mariners]

Mariners Sign Trevor Gott To Minor League Contract

The Mariners signed right-hander Trevor Gott to a minor league deal, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports. Gott’s contract includes an invitation to Seattle’s big league spring camp.

This is Gott’s second stint with the M’s, as he previously joined the club on a one-year, $1.2MM guaranteed deal back in November 2022. Gott went on to post a 4.03 ERA across 29 innings for the Mariners in 2023 before he and fellow righty Chris Flexen were traded to the Mets in July 2023. Gott then had a 4.34 ERA in another 29 innings with New York before he was non-tendered last offseason, leading to a one-year, $1.5MM contract with the Athletics.

However, Gott never officially played for the A’s during this one season in Oakland, as Gott tore his UCL during Spring Training and underwent Tommy John surgery in late March. Given the usual 13-15 month recovery period for such procedures, Gott projects to be ready to return to a big league mound at some point in May or June, if all goes well with the rehab.

Even though Gott’s deal with Seattle is non-guaranteed, it counts as a good sign in Gott’s rehab that the Mariners felt comfortable to extend an offer in the latter stages of the recovery process. It’s basically a no-risk investment for the M’s, with the upside of landing a veteran arm at a discount price if Gott recovers as expected.

Gott has suited up for six different teams over his eight seasons in the Show, which is a pretty typical journeyman resume for a reliever who has good but not great velocity and strikeout ability. Gott mostly relies on a sinker/fastball mix with both pitches sitting around 95mph, and as his best, the 32-year-old has been able to deliver results and eat bullpen innings. Over his last two healthy seasons, Gott had a 4.17 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, and 6.9% walk rate in 103 2/3 combined innings with the Brewers, Mariners, and Mets.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/mariners-sign-trevor-gott-to-minor-league-contract.html