Mariners lineup: What it looks like if they don’t do anything else

As we meander our way through this moronic lockout/labor stoppage (moronic in the fact that they can’t figure this out like adults), I often find myself wondering random thoughts about the Mariners. Okay… that’s a fairly common occurrence, but it’s at the forefront of my Mariners thoughts this month. The one that came across today was this. What would the Mariners lineup look like if they didn’t do anything else?

I truly hope that it doesn’t happen. They definitely need to make a couple more signings or trades. Acquire a couple of players via some means to improve the offense. I understand that people are hopeful that the youth will arrive, or some of the guys currently on the team will figure it out. The team’s ineptitude last year on offense cost them a playoff bid, and as we saw with the 88-win Braves, anything can happen once you get there.

It’s not just what the Mariners lineup currently looks like that I wanted to take a bit of time to investigate. It’s also whether it could be enough to get the job done and finally break that awful streak.

Is the Mariners offense good enough for them to be a legit playoff contender?

So far, all they have really done is add Adam Frazier to the team. With that lone addition, here’s a version of what we can expect. Move guys around if you want, but this is a mix of what I think/hope we would see from this compilation of players

1. SS – JP Crawford
2. 2B – Adam Frazier
3. 1B – Ty France
4. RF – Mitch Haniger
5. CF – Kyle Lewis
6. 3B – Abraham Toro
7. DH – Luis Torrens
8. LF – Jarred Kelenic
9. C – Cal Raleigh
10. BN – Jake Fraley
11. BN – Tom Murphy

I don’t know who that last bench spot or two is going to be. Could be Moore. I would probably be fine with that. There is still a small part of me inside that hopes he will figure it out. That HR/SB combination that he possesses is scary, and if he can hit .235, he becomes a pretty good player.

For now, take a look at those 9 guys who are likely going to be playing the majority of the time, sans injury. Remember, Kyle Lewis was the ROY in 2020. At age 26, he’s getting close to his prime, and is right at the age where he could improve a decent amount. His biggest issue, and it has been for a long time, is health. If we can get 130 games out of him with somewhere near his expected and possible production, it’s a BIG TIME WIN.

I like the top 5 in the order. I really do. Two great table setters at the top, one of the best hitters (average wise) in baseball at the 3, and then two really solid hitters at 4/5. It’s still up in the air with Toro, Torrens can occasionally mash, and that leaves the babies at the bottom.

Is it good enough though?

The answer is… meh. Maybe? Which isn’t the spot that you want to be in as a Mariners fan. There are too many uncertainties surrounding that lineup. Health, sustained production, depth.

Yeah, it could definitely work. Frazier could hit high 200’s and be near .300 again. Crawford could keep improving. France could not get hit 700 times and actually hit .315. Haniger could rake again. Lewis could keep improving. Toro could be better at third since he is more comfortable. Torrens could be a real and slightly feared DH. Kelenic and Raleigh could figure it out.

Those are way too many COULD’s though. It’s reasonable to expect a few of them to happen. It’s less likely, I think, to see none of them happen than it would be to see all of them happen. Their success percentage increases if we are able to put some stronger players in the middle of that lineup.

We’ve had some articles out lately about getting either Kris Bryant/Trevor Story as well as an outfielder. That would make this lineup better. In fact, it would take it from interesting to dangerous. Quickly, take a look at what it could look like with those spots added.

1. SS – JP Crawford
2. 2B – Adam Frazier
3. 1B – Ty France
4. 3B – Kris Bryant
5. RF – Mitch Haniger
6. LF – Seiya Suzuki
7. CF – Kyle Lewis
8. DH – Jarred Kelenic
9. C – Cal Raleigh
10. BN – Abraham Toro
11. BN – Luis Torrens
12. BN – Tom Murphy
13. BN – Jake Fraley

Oh wow. See what kind of a difference that makes? You throw a lineup out there like that, and fans and pundits alike are going to be feeling quite good about this team. Yeah, I know that it is going to take another 35-40 million… but the team said they were going to spend this year, so it isn’t that big of an ask.

When it comes down to it, I just don’t think the current iteration of the lineup is good enough. Yeah, it’s definitely going to be better than last year. That isn’t enough though. Once the lockout ends, the Mariners definitely need to hop back on the phone and continue working on improving the offense.