Seattle Mariners Go Big on FanSided Offseason Sim: Day 2

After a hectic Day 1 as the fake GM of the Seattle Mariners in FanSided’s Off-Season Simulation, it only makes sense to go all in. With that in mind, here is a look at what went down in Day 2 of the Off-Season Sim.

If you want a full breakdown of what happened on Day 1, you can click right here. To summarize, the Mariners were awarded the services of Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. I also traded Kyle Seager for Julio Teheran and some solid prospects, and added Eugenio Suarez to replace Seager.

To see the full picture of what is happening, you’ll need to read both  articles. These deals out of context might not make sense. You have officially been warned. Without further ado, here is what happened on Day 2.

Signed Yu Darvish to 5 year, $133 million contract

Being awarded Ohtani allowed me to be more aggressive with my money. Trading Kyle Seager also helped too. I was faced with 2 scenarios. Either sign Lorenzo Cain and go after a mid-rotation arm like Lance Lynn, or try to find a cheaper option in CF, and go all in on the only #1 level arm on the market.

Picking Darvish was difficult, but I am happy with the end result. Adding Darvish gives the Mariners 6 big league starters: Paxton, Darvish, Felix, Leake, Teheran and Ohtani. This truth gives me the flexibility to move a starter for a potential starting CF.

Wrestling Darvish away from the competition was not easy. I had to make concessions, including a full no-trade clause. We front loaded the contract a bit, but what makes this a good deal for the Mariners is the structure.

The deal is loaded with yearly opt-outs. Giving Darvish total control of his destiny might seem to be too big a risk to take, but if the Mariners decide to rebuild, allowing Darvish to leave benefits both Seattle and Darvish.

Traded Julio Teheran to Nationals for Michael Taylor

As stated above, having 6 quality starters in a thin pitching market can give you a real advantage. With the biggest need left to fill in the outfield, I went shopping for a younger, cheaper option. I found Michael Taylor.

Taylor, who turns 27 in March, is arbitration eligible for the first time this off-season. He is coming off a career season, slashing .271/.320/.486 in 118 games, with 19 homers and 17 stolen bases.

Taylor strikes out a lot, 31.7% of the time, but he is a perfect fit for the Mariners near the bottom of their lineup. Taylor also plays a mean center field, allowing Mitch Haniger to stay in right field. In addition to his solid offense and defense, he is an excellent base-runner, a major flaw in the 2017 Mariners.

Next: Seattle Busy on FanSided Off-Season Sim Day 1

Whats Left?

The Mariners are more or less done filling the gaps on their roster. I would like to add at least 1 steady, reliable reliever and a good low-cost, upside arm. In our sim, the Mariners still have roughly $20 million left to spend. Names like Bryan Shaw are still available, and is a target of our’s on the last day of this sim.