Mariners Offseason Plan: A Collaborative effort to figure out the Goal for 2023

The Mariners Need to Get More Bats

Emmitt Sevores

For me, the Mariners should have one simple goal this off-season. Get more bats.

Yes, bullpen arms for competition and the search for a fifth starter should be looked at by Seattle’s brass, but the team’s shortcomings this year were due to offense. The two positions that I look at and I think could use a potential upgrade are middle infield and corner outfield.

Let’s start with the latter.

The gem of this year’s free agent class is Yankees OF Aaron Judge. Seattle should make Judge a hefty offer. The Mariners could very well be outbid by either New York team and potentially even the Giants, but you have to make the call. The worst case scenario if you offer is that he says no, the worst case if you don’t is that Judge signs for a deal worth less than expected, and you miss out on the likely AL MVP.

The other reason that the Mariners should be in on Judge, and any other corner outfielder on the market, is that they have reportedly decided against making a qualifying offer for Mitch Haniger and Jesse Winker’s future with the club is up in the air as well.

The corner outfield is a hole that must be addressed. The other obvious spot is the middle infield. Adam Frazier was not what we expected for much of last year’s campaign. An underwhelming season puts the Mariners back in contention for a new second baseman or shortstop. Jerry Dipoto holds the cards for how the Mariners address this. Last year he promised that JP Crawford was going to be the starting shortstop, and JP was.

This year he had a slight change to his tune. He implied that the goal would be to get a shortstop who wants to play second base but the promise he made last year wouldn’t stop them from moving JP next to Ty France. There are four huge shortstops on the market this year. Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Dansby Swanson, and Xander Bogaerts.

My favorite of all is Turner. He will cost the most but he is the best shortstop available. He has been consistent over the past five years and has had good home/road and lefty/righty splits.

Swanson is the least likely for Seattle. He’s a Georgia boy, the Braves will get it done.

I hold Correa and Bogaerts in the same regard, the best possible consolation prize if you can’t land Turner. I would be happy with any of the four landing in Seattle, but if they are able to land Turner and a big-time outfielder, watch out American League.