3 perfect fits for the Mariners that are still free agents

It’s been said by GM Jerry Dipoto in seemingly every interview he has had this offseason: The Mariners are still looking for a left-handed hitter who can play second base and outfield, another starting pitcher, and one more bullpen arm.

As we have now entered the month of February, where the unsigned top free agents take their best offer and teams scramble to find players who fit their needs after they missed out on their top targets, Seattle seems to be sitting idly by.

However, in a recent interview, Jerry Dipoto did say that the Mariners missed out on some of their top targets that they thought they had a good chance at. This came right after possible free-agent fits Tommy La Stella, Brand Hand, and Anthony Bass were signed, so Dipoto was probably in on them.

It’s clear that the Mariners ownership group has also not let Jerry Dipoto spend like he might have expected he would be able to. There have also been rumors that this is true as well, so let’s make this easy for John Stanton’s budget.

So who are the 3 perfect fits for the Mariners at positions that Jerry Dipoto says they are still looking for?

I have assembled three players that should all cost less than $20 million next year that are perfect for what Seattle needs. There is still a left-handed utility hitter, a relatively cheap starting pitcher that we know fits in Seattle, and a young reliever who could be had for cheap, all available on the free-agent market.

Taijuan Walker

Taijuan Walker was outstanding in 2020 for the Mariners and the Blue Jays, and despite his great performance, he is still available. Fangraphs lists Walker as their 22nd best free agent in this class and has him projected to sign a 2-year deal with an AAV of around $9 million. MLB Trade Rumors has him as their 23rd best free agent and signing for 2 years with an AAV of $8 million.

While this might be out of John Stanton’s budget for Jerry Diptoto based on how they have been spending so far, if it is within his budget it should be a no-brainer. It was clear that Walker was a fit in the clubhouse and he would be a fit in the rotation for the next two years as well, while we wait on some of the Mariners’ top pitching prospects to come up.

Walker had a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts last year for Seattle and Toronto, but his more advanced stats like his 4.56 FIP and 29th percentile xwOBA tell a different story and are probably the reason he is still on the board. However, his projected offer is relatively low-risk high reward, and even if Walker regresses towards the mean over the next two seasons the 28-year-old should still be a key middle of the rotation pitcher for the Mariners.

Keone Kela

Keone Kela is not on either the Fangraphs or MLB Trade Rumors’ top 50 free agent lists and seems to be flying under the radar because of his injury last year. Kela only got in 2 innings of work in 2020 due to a positive COVID test, and then he experienced shoulder inflammation and decided to sit out the rest of the season as he would be a free agent this offseason, and the Pirates were set to finish in last place in the MLB standings.

In his 6 year career with the division rival Texas Rangers and then the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kela has a 3.24 ERA, a 139 ERA+, and a 3.30 FIP. He is also just 27 years old and has some history in the Pacific Northwest.

Kela went to high school in Seattle and attended Everett Community College. He spent his childhood all over the west, in California, Hawaii, and Washington. He was actually drafted by the Mariners in the 29th round of the 2011 draft but decided to go to Everett Community College instead, and was then drafted by the Texas Rangers.

Kela has some bad injury history, but if he can be had for a cheap price of around 1 year $2-3 million on a prove-it deal since he still has some years of his prime ahead of him, it’s a no brainer for the Mariners. If or when Kela is healthy, he could be the best pitcher in the Mariners bullpen next year.