SODO MOJO
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Seattle Mariners: Sodo Mojo’s 2019 Off-Season Plan

By Colby Patnode

SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 8: Starter Felix Hernandez #34 of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch during the first inning a game against the New York Yankees at Safeco Field on September 8, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 8: Starter Felix Hernandez #34 of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch during the first inning a game against the New York Yankees at Safeco Field on September 8, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /
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FREE AGENT SIGNING: OF A.J. POLLOCK

PHOENIX, AZ – AUGUST 26: A.J. Pollock #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a sacrifice fly ball during the third inning of the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Chase Field on August 26, 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona. All players across MLB wear nicknames on their backs as well as colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs inspired by youth-league uniforms during Players Weekend. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – AUGUST 26: A.J. Pollock #11 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a sacrifice fly ball during the third inning of the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Chase Field on August 26, 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona. All players across MLB wear nicknames on their backs as well as colorful, non-traditional uniforms featuring alternate designs inspired by youth-league uniforms during Players Weekend. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Contract details: Four years, $60 million
($12M/YR1, $15M/YR2, $15M, $18M/YR4)

Perhaps the biggest debate we had in our Discord was over what the Mariners should do in center field. We had numerous options brought forth, including for names like Keon Broxton and Joc Pederson.

At the end of the day, the debate fizzled down to Broxton vs A.J. Pollock. There was a lot of pro’s to both, but at the end, we felt better about Pollock’s track record than Broxton’s upside. The structure of the deal was also important to us, as we needed as much wiggle room with the payroll as possible.

We eventually settled on a structure that would pay Pollock $12 million in 2019, jumping to $15 million in 2020 and 2021, then finally at $18 million in 2022, after sizable contracts have come off the books.

Pollock would be the best CF bat for the Mariners since Mike Cameron, and he plays a solid defensive CF as well. The injury risk was weighed heavily, but ultimately, with the ability of Haniger, Dee Gordon, and Guillermo Heredia to cover CF for a short time, we decided that risk was worth taking.

Pollock’s career .467 slugging percentage will help replicate some of the right-handed power lost from losing Nelson Cruz, and his ability on the bases will be helpful as well. We all agree that Pollock isn’t the perfect answer in CF, but without any major prospects to go find one in the trade market, we decided to spend money on the position instead.

We have already written about Pollock at length on the site, which you can check out here. Long story short, Pollock’s blend of right-handed power with solid defense and base-running gave him the edge over Broxton.

However, we weren’t necessarily done with the Broxton debate.

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