Five Bold Mariners Predictions for the 2022 MLB season

Mariners Bold Prediction #1: Jerry calls Oakland for Montas

Oakland has been selling all offseason. Take a look at the players that were there last season, and you’ll truly remember how many have left or been dealt.

• Mark Canha
• Starling Marte
• Chris Bassitt
• Sean Manaea
• Matt Olson
• Matt Chapman
• Josh Harrison
• Andrew Chafin

That’s… well, that’s a lot of people. Unless they plan on signing Montas long-term, the move that makes the most sense is trading him when he has 1-1/2 years left on his deal in order to secure a greater return. With the Mariners sitting at 54-45 after the July 27th game against the Rangers, they make a trade for Montas during the Astros series. It’s not going to be cheap, so don’t think that the Mariners are going to swindle Oakland.

Personally, Stoudt is my favorite Mariners pitching prospect. There’s just something about the guy that makes me want to see him succeed. He’s got good heat and a legit and nasty change. He could be a solid starter if he can keep the 95-98 through 6 innings, but will need to work on his control.

Gonzalez has been jumping up prospect boards, and at just 18, he’s got a ways to go but pairs that with some impressive potential and a high ceiling.

Polcovich could actually end up being a Josh Harrison type player. Moves around, is solid on defense wherever he is at, and has enough bat to keep you wary whenever he is up. Sort of like the pesky defender in basketball that can get hot from deep occasionally. You never know when it’s going to happen, but it’s going to happen at some point.

You may have noticed I haven’t mentioned anything about where Montas would fit in the rotation. If they add him in, they would have six starters. Well, not so fast. That’s where prediction number two comes in.

Mariners Bold Prediction #2: Chris Flexen loses his rotation spot

I do like Flexen, so this isn’t me hating on him. Seeing a pitcher that is so different than so many currently is a nice change of pace… even if the Mariners have two of them in Flexen and Marco. Flexen strikes out so few people, you will get the occasional 7 IP 2K game from him and not be shocked.

However, 2021 is either going to be the turning point in what turns out to be a very solid career, or a one-and-done type season where we look back and wonder how he had so much success. I do hope it’s the latter. But… I’m going out on a limb and saying this year isn’t going to go well for him as a starter.

After a couple of months of sub-standard pitching, Flexen gets moved to the pen with a 5.77 ERA. With a less-than-average defense behind him (there are a lot of not very good defenders out there), balls that were caught last season seem just out of reach this year. He uses his change of pace out of the pen to offset the Mariners heat from Ray, Gilbert, and Brash, and finds success as the team’s middle innings reliever.

Mariners Bold Prediction #3: Logan Gilbert is an All-Star

The pitching predictions continue. After adding another starter to the team around the same time they lose one, It’s Logan Gilbert who is leading the way for the Mariners. In fact, he’s doing so good that you start to hear some rumblings about “well, who is the true ace of the Mariners rotation?”

Through those 93 games before the All-Star break, Gilbert astounds. Just one bad start mars an otherwise flawless start for the youngster.

• 2.74 ERA, 19 GS, 120 IP, 153 Ks, 1.002 WHIP

He gets the nod to the game as one of… let’s call it, 3 Mariners All-Stars. Maybe it’s Haniger, maybe it’s France, someone out of the bullpen, or his rotation mate Robbie Ray.

Gilbert showed so many flashes of brilliance in 2021, that it’s easy to see him becoming a great #2 or even a #1 pitcher (no, not an ace, there’s a difference). With the slider sitting around 90 and the fastball bumping up a bit and reaching 97-98 with more consistency, the added velo and movement help Gilbert climb up the pitching rankings and earns him a call to the game in Dodger stadium.

I mentioned Haniger as a possible player that could be joining him. I think there is a great shot at it happening, and I don’t think it’s the only impressive thing that happens for Haniger this year.

Mariners Bold Prediction #4: Mitch Haniger signs an extension

In case you forgot, go read it again. Haniger wants to be here, and he wants this team to make the playoffs.

“We’re going to end this f*cking drought.”

Gah. I read it again while putting this article together, and my feelings haven’t changed. I’m ready to run through a wall. Put in that extra training. Take extra BP. I don’t even play baseball anymore either, but I’d do whatever Haniger wanted me to after reading that.

“And I hope our fans are all reading this. I hope you guys understand that it may be the end of the season….. but it isn’t an ending. This is a damn start. Thanks for sticking with us, and for the most fun I’ve ever had on a baseball field. I hope y’all are excited about the Mariners again. I’ll see you in the spring.”

Haniger comes out and proves that it wasn’t just words. Finally having a full and healthy offseason, Haniger comes out in the best shape of his career. He starts treating baseballs like they said something inappropriate to his mom, punishing them on a regular basis. At some point in 2022, he’s gonna meet with Dipoto and have a conversation that goes something like this.

JD – Hey Mitch, how’s it going. You’re having a great season, and we wanted to talk about your future.

MH – Sign me to an extension. Do it. Do it now.

JD – Well Mitch, if that’s what you rea…

MH – Jerry. This is my team. I’m retiring here. Sign me to a deal. Let’s get this done, and get to October.

JD – Works for us. Let’s get it drawn up.

MH – “We’re going to end this f*cking drought.”

Mariners Bold Prediction #5: They make the playoffs… and win

That’s right. The Mariners are going to make it to the playoffs. Not only that, but they are going to win. Then, for good measure, they’re going to win again.

Make it as a wild card (4-seed). play 5 seed Tampa. Win. Play 2 seed Tampa. Win. Play 1 seed White Sox in the ALCS… and lose in 6 games.

For the first time in a long time, there is a realistic optimism about this team. Sure, there have been years in the past where you think that if things turn out pretty well, then the team will have a shot at the playoffs. This year, it seems like they have so many of the correct pieces that a playoff run wouldn’t be crazy.

They have a much better offense (yes, Suarez is gonna be a beast this year). The pitching is arguably better as well. Check that, the starting pitching definitely looks to be better than 2021. The bullpen is still pretty good as well, even with Giles back on the IL and Sadler out for the season.

This team is good, and I feel good about them as well. Good vibes only.

Sure, I could’ve gone crazy with this. Robbie Ray Cy Young. Ty France MVP. Julio-Brash-Kirby 1-2-3 in ROY voting. A World Series. I wanted to make bold predictions that you could look at and go “yeah, I can see that happening if things go a certain way”. The season starts soon, and I sure hope that some of these things happen this year for the Mariners. Especially #5.