Seattle Mariners: Three realistic free agents targets
By Nick Stevens
Multiple teams are interested in Kolten Wong, but the Seattle Mariners should also be in pursuit of the second baseman.
With a number of big contracts off the books and a solid core of prospects arriving soon, the Seattle Mariners would be smart to take a conservative route this winter by adding high-floor veterans to a young roster who won’t block any future paths to the majors or tie up any significant amount of dollars ahead of what could be a pretty big 2021 offseason.
With that being said, let’s kick this off by taking a look at a free agent who should garner a decent, but not over-priced contract in Kolten Wong.
Dylan Moore played admirably last season and is a solid option to begin the year at second base, but adding Wong into the mix makes sense for a few different reasons.
The most obvious reason is his Gold Glove defense. Over the last three seasons, Wong has accumulated 41 Defensive Runs Saved, a 22.4 Ultimate Zone Rating, and 21 Outs Above Average. Even if the defense isn’t as elite as it was in 2018, he’s still an above-average option for a team that has ranked in the bottom half of the league in these advanced metrics from their second basemen.
Wong’s bat is a league-average option, but he can get on base (.350+ OBP in three of the last four seasons), can make some noise on the basepaths, and his low strikeout rates are positive. With a roster full of young pieces, a few question marks, and streaky performers, a steady, reliable bat would be a slight boost.