While the Seattle Mariners wait on more of their top young talent, these three free agent targets could help improve the 2021 roster.
The Seattle Mariners enter the 2020-2021 offseason in a unique situation. Many of their top-ranked prospects are knocking on the door of the major leagues, the financial situation in Seattle is in a great place, and the current major league roster is on the verge of competing for a playoff spot in a division open for the taking.
Handing out a few big contracts this winter and going for it in 2021 is a viable option, but it’s not going to happen. The Seattle Mariners are in a good position and there’s no sense in deviating from their long-term goals and going all in quite yet.
General manager Jerry Dipoto has routinely expressed interest in adding multiple relievers to the bullpen and a veteran starting pitcher to fill out a six-man rotation, knowing that large investments in volatile bullpen arms and splashy targets like Trevor Bauer are risky for a team on the cusp of competing, but still one-two years away from taking the next step.
The Mariners could also use some help in the outfield. Can the organization count on Mitch Haniger across a full season? Who joins Haniger and AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis in the outfield? Jarred Kelenic, Julio Rodriguez, and Taylor Trammell are exciting young talents, but they won’t be in the major leagues on Opening Day.
Someone like a recently released Hunter Renfroe or one of the likely many outfield options soon to be non-tendered (Tommy Pham?) could be a short-term fix. A low-cost veteran signing, waiver claim, or trade seems like the most possible route to solve that issue.
But let’s look at the current crop of free agents and talk about three realistic free agent targets for the Seattle Mariners.