Seattle Mariners Could Pursue Veteran Outfielder Like Curtis Granderson

Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto has already stated that the team is looking to add at least 1 outfielder to its mix. With 3 young, promising big leaguers already in the fold, finding a short-term solution seems to be the best way to go.

The question is: which one do you want? Dipoto has stated that this outfielder does not need to be a centerfielder. While I am skeptical of ” Guillermo Heredia: Everyday CF”, we should allow for the possibility that Dipoto is.

The Mariners have already been linked to non-CF veterans like Jon Jay. But Jay isn’t the ideal fit, as he adds no power to a relatively powerless outfield. The Mariners make up for their power shortage in the OF with power from unusual places like second base and catcher.

But adding a veteran who can play all 3 OF spots while providing pop off the bench,still makes the most sense. Enter Curtis Granderson.

Granderson, the 36-year-old veteran, spent the 2017 season with the Mets and Dodgers. His overall production was a respectable .212/.323/.452, posting a solid 2.1 fWAR. Despite this solid season, nobody is talking about Granderson.

This fact might stem from a truly terrible September and October, in which Granderson slashed a putrid .183/.284/.338. Granderson was so bad in that stretch, he was left off the Dodgers World Series roster.

Despite these “red flags”, Granderson is a perfect fit for the Mariners. He has hit 20+ home runs in each of the last 4 seasons, while playing in at least 147 games each season. Despite Granderson’s low batting average, he does not have an issue making contact. His 23.3% K rate was still better than the major league average in 2017.

Granderson also takes a lot of walks, and hasn’t posted a BB% lower than 10% since 2007. Although no longer a base stealing threat, Granderson has still posted an above average BsR every year since 2006.

Granderson’s value as an above average hitter and base-runner should be appealing to the Mariners. The defense could be a bit of a concern, but should be able to handle a corner spot without any issues. You don’t want Granderson handling CF more than 1 or 2 times a week, but he won’t kill you out there.

Granderson is a good fit for the clubhouse. Robinson Cano has a long-standing relationship with him. His career speaks for itself, and nobody in the know has anything bad to say about Granderson the person.

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

The Mariners need a veteran outfielder. If they are unable to re-sign Jarrod Dyson or come to terms with Jay, Granderson would be a great fit. The best Granderson could really hope for is a 1 year, $6-$8 million deal. At that price, the Mariners should strongly consider bringing in the veteran outfielder.