Seattle Mariners 2018 Season Preview
Last year, the Seattle Mariners were considered to have won the offseason, but it did not reflect in the standings. Will a relatively quiet offseason this year pay dividends?
Heading into the 2017 campaign, the Seattle Mariners were expected to contend for the American League West. General manager Jerry DiPoto made move after move, making the Mariners more athletic and rebuilding the roster in his image. Seattle’s playoff drought seemed as though it would come to an end.
Instead, the Mariners suffered through another disappointing season, ending the year at 78-84, while never really contending for a postseason berth. There were positives, as James Paxton emerged as the ace of the staff and Mike Zunino finally looked like a competent major league catcher. However, injuries and ineffectiveness ravaged the rest of the pitching staff, torpedoing the Mariners season.
This year, Seattle has been relatively quiet. Although DiPoto made his usual major trade, bringing in Dee Gordon, he has not been the whirlwind of activity that we had come to know. However, while his patience may be considered a virtue, in this case, it may have been costly. With major question marks surrounding the pitching staff, the Mariners may not have much of a chance in the coming year.
Can the Seattle Mariners finally return to the postseason? Additional moves might be needed if they hope to play meaningful games in September.
Seattle Mariners additions and subtractions
Key additions: Dee Gordon, Ryon Healy, Juan Nicasio, Ichiro Suzuki, Mike Leake
Newcomer to watch: Dee Gordon. Not only did the Seattle Mariners pick up a viable leadoff hitter, but they are also hoping that they added a center fielder for years to come.
After a year marred by a PED suspension, Gordon was back to his usual ways in 2017. He again led the National League in stolen bases, swiping 60 bags for the second time in his career. In addition, he posted a solid .308/.341/.375 batting line, providing the type of offense that the Mariners would need atop their lineup.
However, this acquisition does have some potential downside. Due to the presence of Robinson Cano, Gordon is being asked to move to center, a position he has never played as a professional. While he has fared well there thus far in Spring Training, it is still early in his transition to the outfield. Once the games matter, will he be what the Mariners hope for?
Biggest losses: Yonder Alonso, Yovani Gallardo, Emilio Pagan
Biggest loss: Yonder Alonso. Acquired as part of a failed push for the postseason, Alonso was not quite the same player he was in Oakland after the trade.
He was still solid, posting a respectable .265/.353/.439 batting line with six homers, outproducing regular first baseman Danny Valencia. However, he was not quite the game changer that Seattle hoped for, as his power numbers fell off. Chances are, it would not have mattered in the hunt for the postseason had he hit for more power, as he was still a solid, professional bat.
To replace him, the Seattle Mariners brought in Ryon Healy, while hoping that Dan Vogelbach can be a viable option at the major league level. However, Healy is already injured, and took a step back last year in Oakland. Although Healy and Vogelbach both have potential, the Mariners hopes of the postseason would be stronger with Alonso in the lineup.
Expectations for the Seattle Mariners in 2018
The goal remains the same for the Seattle Mariners – to end their long standing playoff drought. However, they may be further away than they were at the start of last year.
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The offense should be solid, with Cano and Nelson Cruz still defying Father Time, and a true leadoff option with Gordon. Kyle Seager is a solid, if unspectacular, piece in the middle of the lineup. If Zunino continues his breakout, and Mitch Haniger can replicate his performance last year, the Mariners will put runs on the board.
And yet, the biggest problem from last year remains. The pitching staff, behind James Paxton, is a giant question mark. Mike Leake pitched well after being acquired in August, but is not ideal as the second starter. Felix Hernandez continued to age, and missed time last year. As the innings continue to pile up, he is slipping further and further from ace status. Ariel Miranda and Erasmo Ramirez are not pieces of a playoff caliber rotation.
Of course, there is still time for the Mariners to fix that problem. Plenty of options are available in free agency, and bringing in a pitcher like Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn could make a tremendous amount of difference. As the Wild Card should be a wide open race, the Mariners could finally return to the postseason if they can add one more option to the rotation.
Next: Mariners top ten prospects
However, as they currently stand, the Seattle Mariners are not a playoff team. In fact, they may well be worse than they were last year. Prediction: Fourth place in the AL West.