As the new year beckons, drawing baseball’s offseason to an end with pitchers and catchers eventually reporting to spring training, the Seattle Mariners’ roster still seems incomplete.
An offseason with high expectations to supplement a team that came within a game of making the World Series for the first time in franchise history started off with momentum and excitement when the Mariners signed Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million contract in mid-November.
Just a few weeks into the offseason, they had achieved one of their stated goals. So much more was expected.
Since then, the Mariners haven’t been inactive. They’ve made multiple moves to address needs for their 26-man roster, including:
• December 6: Traded catcher Harry Ford and right-handed pitcher Isaac Lyon to the Washington Nationals for left-handed reliever Jose A. Ferrer.
• December 16: Signed free-agent catcher Andrew Knizner.
• December 22: Signed free-agent RF Rob Refsnyder.
All three were pragmatic, if not sexy, moves that filled needs or upgraded the roster in some way.
Ferrer gives the Mariners a second lefty leverage arm in the bullpen to help Gabe Speier late in games. Knizner will serve as the backup catcher unless someone beats him out in spring training. Refsnyder gives the Mariners a right-handed bat that can serve in a platoon role while playing outfield, first base or designated hitter.
But the Mariners had larger plans this offseason. They wanted to bring back Jorge Polanco or a similar type of hitter to hit in the middle of the order, preferably a third baseman or second baseman. They lost Polanco to a two-year, $40 million contract to the Mets, ending that possible reunion.
As of now, Ben Williamson and Cole Young are locked into those positions with top prospect Colt Emerson expected to compete to make the roster.
Will it be that way when the Mariners start workouts in Peoria, Ariz., or on opening day?
Jerry Dipoto, president of baseball operations, and general manager Justin Hollander are still highly motivated to make more moves to improve their roster.
They’ve engaged in lengthy discussions with the St. Louis Cardinals about acquiring infielder Brendan Donovan in a trade. But multiple teams are interested in Donovan, who can play second and third base and is a solid hitter from the left side with two years of club control. Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals’ new president of baseball operations, has been calculated in evaluating offers, knowing he has a valuable trade chip.
The Mariners aren’t looking to trade from their MLB roster to get Donovan, which could be a reason a trade hasn’t been consummated yet. But with a loaded farm system, they are willing to move some of their top prospects in a package for Donovan, including switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, their first-round pick in 2024.
Seattle has checked in with Arizona on the asking price for second baseman Ketel Marte. While D-backs president Mike Hazen has been pretty firm in his desire to keep Marte in Arizona, he’s also smart enough to understand that trading away the veteran switch-hitter could net a sizable return that includes MLB pitching.
Multiple reports have stated that Hazen is asking for a lot in a trade for Marte, including an established MLB starting pitcher and multiple high-level prospects. Dipoto and Hollander have both been adamant that they have no intention of trading a starting pitcher from their rotation. The amount of money owed to the 31-year-old Marte — $100 million over the next six seasons — along with the prospect package, represents another potential roadblock for a deal. Marte is owed $16 million for this season.
Per FanGraphs, the Mariners’ payroll is projected at $157 million. Dipoto said at the end of the 2025 season that their budget was roughly what they ended at last season, which was around $168 million.
Could the Mariners bring back Eugenio Suarez as a third baseman/designated hitter? He is reportedly looking for a multiyear contract, but the longer he remains unsigned, the chances of him signing a one-year contract increase with each day.
Upper echelon free agents like Alex Bregman, Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger don’t fit into the Mariners’ budget limitations. Free-agent infielders Miguel Andujar and Ramon Urias could be low-cost options.
Of course, Dipoto and Hollander don’t limit themselves to the obvious or reported moves. They haven’t been afraid to make the unexpected move.
With the holidays coming to an end, the Mariners will make a push to finalize their roster before spring training begins in mid-February. If the roster seems unfinished, that’s because it is, even by their own standards.