Seattle Mariners: Way too early Opening Day lineup and roster predictions

A prediction of the Seattle Mariners 26 man Opening Day lineup, rotation, bullpen, and bench

Even though there are rumors that the MLB season could be pushed back until May, here at Sodo Mojo we have been keeping up with everything during the offseason, and with five or more months to go why not speculate on what the opening day roster could be when the Mariners face the San Franciso Giants at T-Mobile Park.

It seems as though the roster is somewhat coming to shape, with various signings and trades to help the rotation and bullpen. So, let’s get to my predictions for the Opening Day starting lineup, rotation, and bullpen, for whenever Opening Day actually ends up happening.

First, let’s look at who’s on the Opening Day bench

C Luis Torrens

2B/LF Shed Long Jr

INF/OF Chris Owings

OF Jake Fraley

Torrens and Long are no surprise making the opening day roster. Both of them will play a lot in the 2021 season, but will also certainly be on the bench and be backup players to start the year.

I thought that Phillip Ervin would be on the opening day bench, but with him now gone Jake Fraley naturally slides into that role. While I would not be surprised if the Mariners sign a backup outfielder, with the 40 man roster and Jarred Kelenic hopefully coming up sometime next year, I see Dipoto and Servais giving Fraley another shot to break into the lineup, and it might be the last shot he gets.

I also thought that Tim Lopes would be on the opening day roster but with him being DFA’d, the Mariners bring in utility man Chris Owings on a one-year deal and DFA Sam Haggerty. Owings has had an up and down career but will provide decent defense in both the infield and outfield and the Mariners take a chance on his bat.

The Opening Day bullpen

RP Yohan Ramirez

RP Will Vest

RP Brandon Brennan

RP Anthony Misiewicz

RP Keynan Middleton

SP/RP Kendall Graveman

RP Rafael Montero

The bullpen will be decided at spring training as there are now a few arms who will certainly make the seven-man pen, but there are plenty of pitchers who will be fighting for the last few spots. Ramirez and Misiweicz looked excellent last year in the shortened season and will be a part of the opening day bullpen, and Kendall Graveman looked excellent when he switched over to a relief role last year.

Middleton and Montero should be 100%’ers to make the bullpen as well as they were just signed and traded for. The last two spots belong to Will Vest, who the Mariners drafted in the Rule 5 draft, and Brandon Brennan, who the Mariners took in the 2018 Rule 5 draft.

Vest would be in jeopardy of being sent back to the Detroit Tigers, but with the Mariners still rebuilding they will want to see him in the majors for at least a few outings, so he will be in the opening day pen.

There are plenty of options for the final spot, but Brandon Brennan has pitched very well when he has been healthy and should be the last man in. If there are injuries or players traded Joey Gerber, Sam Delaplane, and Andres Munoz (When he finishes recovering from Tommy John surgery) should be the first ones to get the call, and recent waiver claims Robert Dugger, Casey Sadler, and Domingo Tapia are in jeopardy of being cut.

The Opening Day starter and rotation

SP Marco Gonzales

SP Justus Sheffield

SP Yusei Kikuchi

SP Chris Flexen

SP Justin Dunn

SP Julio Teheran

With Chris Flexen signed the Mariners six-man rotation looks like it is coming to shape, and at the top facing the San Francisco Giants and (most likely) opening day starter Kevin Gausman, is Marco Gonzales.

It seems as if Seattle will continue to have an offseason that does not include a big-time signing, so I expect that what they have right now is it, except they bring in Julio Teheran in a depth role. I could see the Mariners signing Teheran to a minor league deal or a prove-it deal similar to Taijuan Walker, and then he beats out Margevicius for the last rotation spot.

Sheffield, Kikuchi, and Flexen are locks to make the rotation and then there is a group of Justin Dunn, Nick Margevicius, Julio Teheran, and Ljay Newsome. Dunn and Teheran will take the last two spots but Newsome and Margevicius will be the first ones called up when someone inevitably gets injured.

The Mariners used a six-man rotation in 2020 and Scott Servais recently said that they will use the same system in 2021. He also said that he would not be surprised if the Mariners signed another pitcher to either a depth role or a rotation role, hence the Teheran signing.