Mariners News: Everything from Day One of the Winter Meetings

There can be a lot that goes on during the Winter Meetings each year. Especially when you are a fan of the Mariners and Trader Jerry is involved. Some of it is good, some reliable, and some you take a look at and think “There is no way I can trust these people”.

So, I’m gonna take some time at the end of each day and write up everything Mariners related that happened during the day. Some of it might be secondary relations, say, how it affects the Mariners now that someone like Jacob DeGrom is in the division. That goes hand-in-hand with something we will touch on from today’s news. I’m guessing some of you already see the connection and can guess what it is going to be.

Let’s get started with that one.

Mariners Day One News: Justin Verlander is now a NY Met

That’s right. The Mariners aren’t going to have to face Verlander near as often going forward. After Jacob Degrom left the Mets, they went out and paid Verlander the same AAV as they are paying Max Scherzer, at $43.3 over the next two or three years. Differing reports are out there, but it sounds like there is some sort of option for a 3rd year.

It’s funny in a way, cause the Mariners are going to have to face Jacob DeGrom instead. Who knows how healthy he can be, but it’s going to be either fun or awful knowing that DeGrom is on the Rangers.

Mariners Day One News: Trea Turner is in Philly

About 20 minutes before the news broke that Turner was going to the Phillies, some paid-for blue checkmarks on Twitter said that he was going to have a meeting with the Mariners. It’s one of the tougher things now, as anyone can be verified. It seems there was no truth to this rumor whatsoever, and he was the proud owner of a contract worth $300M over the next 11 years.

Mariners Day One News: Right-handed bats?

Dipoto told those listening that they would like to add one or at even two hitters, one of which would be a right-handed bat that could play a corner outfield spot.

Hold up.

Right-handed? Whatever happened to the idea of looking for a left-handed corner outfielder? You know, as he said a week or two ago? I don’t know if this means he has something in the works for an RHB or is trying to throw us off the scent. It does seem odd though.

Or, he just has an internal Rolodex of things that he can pick from, and he chooses them at random to mess with all of us. I wouldn’t put it past him.

Mariners Day One News: Brian Anderson in the crosshairs again

During the trade deadline, there were a few interesting names that the Mariners were going after… or at least some that fans wanted them to go after. Plenty of people at Sodo Mojo have long been fans of Brandon Drury, and that RHB phrase above re-ignited that fire last night.

However, there is another infielder that looks to be on their radar again in Brian Anderson. He can play third and outfield, and although he struggled in 2022, put up a nice stretch from 2018-2021 which tallies to a .263/.348/.427 with a 109 OPS+. Could this be another situation, similar to Suarez, of the Mariners acquiring someone who is now healthy and watching them succeed?

Mariners Day One News: Dylan Moore has surgery

Don’t fret, this isn’t anything major. Moore started struggling with a core injury at the end of the season and will be recovering for the next 6-8 weeks. That should put him in line to be ready at the start of Spring Training, and be good to go for 2023.

As the Winter Meetings move on, hopefully, we see some more excitement come the Mariners way. Whether it’s a trade involving Chris Flexen (my personal guess) or something none of us have realistically thought about, we are bound to have more M’s rumors floating around.