All has been quiet in the Pacific Northwest. After early moves to re-sign Josh Naylor and trade for José Ferrer, the Seattle Mariners have settled into an offseason that has been far less aggressive than many fans expected following an ALCS berth. With Jorge Polanco departing and Eugenio Suárez still unsigned, Seattle’s roster appears weaker on paper than it finished in 2025. Many have started to question the patient approach of Jerry Dipoto, but they hope the Mariners can use this as a blueprint for success in 2026.
That perception has only reinforced a familiar tension between the front office and the fanbase. The Jerry Dipoto regime has rarely earned the full favor of Mariners fandom, and a quiet offseason was always likely to test patience, even after the success of 2025. However, the Mariners’ front office has consistently shown that it ignores external noise, choosing instead to move only with conviction. In that sense, the outcome of 2025 may have offered a degree of vindication, following a maligned offseason that was widely criticized at the time but ultimately validated on the field. But can they afford to be so patient again off the back of such a historic season?
Structural Constraints
Unless the right opportunity presents itself, the Mariners appear likely to follow a similar blueprint to 2025. Seattle has long struggled to compete with many of the league’s financial powerhouses in free agency, lacking both the payroll flexibility to chase top-tier stars and the geographic advantages that appeal to many free agents. That reality has surfaced this offseason, with few high-ticket free agents at positions of need even being linked to the Mariners. Aware of these constraints, the front office has consistently treated the trade market as its primary avenue for roster improvement. Having seen the deals for Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker, and Alex Bregman, even if they had a more aggressive approach in free agency, they just realistically will never be able to match these kinds of deals.
The Importance of the Deadline
As a team that relies heavily on trades to improve its roster, it makes sense for the Mariners to operate closer to the deadline, particularly when dealing with top-100 prospects. Critics will argue the time to act is now, questioning when Dipoto will push his chips in on a roster that appears well-positioned within the AL West. That criticism is understandable, but the current inactivity is better explained by restraint than negligence.
Reports have consistently linked Seattle to second basemen such as Ketel Marte, Brendan Donovan, and Nico Hoerner, as well as bullpen arms like JoJo Romero, and the club has already shown a willingness to deal a top-100 prospect in the Ferrer trade. However, when managing elite young talent, the Mariners have historically valued timing and leverage over urgency.
The St. Louis Cardinals currently hold more leverage in any Donovan deal, making a deadline move a safer play that would also allow Seattle to evaluate Cole Young and potentially save prospect capital. The real question for the front office is how much of an upgrade they believe Donovan represents, and whether that improvement justifies paying today’s price rather than waiting for the market to shift. If they wait too long, however, a player as coveted as Donovan may not make it to July. This is the balance the Mariners front office must weigh in their approach again this offseason.
Deadline Success
Whether it was Luis Castillo in 2022, Randy Arozarena in 2024, or Naylor and Suárez in 2025, the trade deadline is where the Mariners believe they gain a competitive advantage. With the expanded playoff format, Seattle is unlikely to find itself in a position to sell, while its pitching depth and star power should keep it firmly in the buy category.
By July, the front office will have clearer information on positional weaknesses, a better sense of which prospects are ready for larger roles, and more accurate valuations from trade partners. Using Donovan as an example, the Mariners may believe they can pursue the same upgrade later in the season while preserving additional prospect capital in the process. This approach is risky and adds pressure to an already light Mariners lineup.
Pressure on Prospects
The Mariners have also built one of the strongest farm systems in baseball, with multiple prospects knocking on the door. Reports have suggested that a key hold-up in pursuing a high-end second baseman has been a reluctance to block the pathway of Young. While this approach is admirable, the organization appears equally committed to allowing Young, Ben Williamson, and Colt Emerson a genuine opportunity to make an impact.
That commitment, however, comes with risk. Entering the season without sufficient insulation leaves the roster thin and vulnerable should those prospects struggle to adjust at the Major League level. While impact deadline trades have been a critical part of Seattle’s roster-building philosophy, leaving themselves without alternatives could allow rival clubs to drive up prices later in the year. In that scenario, patience may prove more costly than acting earlier.
Patience Is Key
It is always disappointing to see a team open the season with a weaker roster than the one that finished the previous year, but this has long been the blueprint for how the Mariners operate—particularly under an ownership unwilling to provide the financial flexibility to compete with the league’s biggest spenders. As a result, Seattle is often forced to be creative rather than aggressive.
This approach prioritizes risk containment as much as upside, preserving flexibility while allowing the front office to act decisively once clearer information becomes available. As the success of 2025 showed, it may be prudent to reserve judgment on the Mariners’ front office approach until at least the All-Star break. But if patience turns into inaction, the Mariners risk failing to build upon what was arguably the best season in franchise history.
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