3 bad contracts that should actually interest the Mariners this offseason

Call us crazy, but the Seattle Mariners probably aren't going to make the playoffs. If so, the question is where they go from here, and the only acceptable answer involves heading in a new direction. Any and all moves must be on the table this offseason, including trades for players that represent problems for their current teams.

From his perch atop Seattle's front office, Jerry Dipoto knows a thing or two about offloading bad contracts. Robinson Canó and Robbie Ray come to mind. From our perspective, it's not too soon to wonder if Josh Naylor already deserves to same treatment. He'd be a candidate for a classic bad contract swap if the Mariners agree.

However, that's not specifically what we have in mind right here and right now. We want to look at bad contracts the Mariners might absorb, regardless of whether Naylor went the other way.

The Mariners should have their eye on Matt Chapman, Dansby Swanson and Bryan Reynolds this winter

3B Matt Chapman, San Francisco Giants

Remaining Contract: 4 years, $100.7 million

Matt Chapman and the Mariners? Yeah, it's an idea that has been kicked around on this site before. Yet even if Dipoto did reportedly covet the five-time Gold Glover once upon a time, he's now 33 years old and will be coming off season-ending core surgery next spring.

It's nonetheless hard to overstate how badly the Mariners need to figure out third base this winter. Brendan Donovan was a defensive liability even when he was healthy, and that's just part of the reason the position has produced 0.0 rWAR. Chapman was still a good enough defender and hitter (96 OPS+) to post 2.7 rWAR in just 84 games.

The Giants were listening on Chapman (among others) ahead of this year's trade deadline, and are sure to do so again this winter for the sake of potentially cutting payroll. A Naylor-for-Chapman trade wouldn't make a ton of sense for the Giants, but if they're willing to eat money in order to buy a prospect or two from Seattle, Dipoto would have to consider it.

The question then would be whether Chapman is willing to leave. He has full no-trade protection, and he's been tethered to the Bay Area for seven of his 10 major league seasons.

SS Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs

Remaining Contract: 3 years, $81 million

The Cubs have gotten a good return on their $177 million investment in Dansby Swanson, as he's been worth 16.6 rWAR in the first four seasons. Yet his offensive decline is hard to miss, and a big reason why Cubs fans perceive his contract as having gone bad.

For their part, the Mariners aren't about to give up on Colt Emerson just because he had a rough, injury-marred first year. He's still their shortstop of the future, and that alone complicates the idea of a Swanson trade. Plus, the 32-year-old is another veteran with no-trade protection.

And yet, the Mariners can't not fix the defense this winter. Swanson is one of the biggest possible upgrades out there. He's a two-time Gold Glover whose 78 Outs Above Average rank second among all defenders over the last five seasons.

The Cubs were interested in George Kirby and Emerson Hancock before the trade deadline, so there could be a deal to be made involving one of them. So long, of course, as the Cubs kicked in cash or another player to accompany Swanson to Seattle.

LF Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates

Remaining Contract: 4 years, $61 million

The biggest task the Mariners will have this winter involves re-signing or replacing Randy Arozarena. That won't be easy, given that his price tag is likely in the nine-figure range. Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ are possible alternatives, yet both could likewise benefit from a scarcity of bats on the open market.

This is why we have our eye on Bryan Reynolds, though whether his contract is "bad" is up for debate. Dude was an All-Star as recently as 2024 and he leads all of MLB with 36 doubles this season. Yet knowing that Reynolds will be 32 years old on April 20 of next year, the Bucs should be worried about this:

• 2019-2022: 128 OPS+
• 2023-2026: 111 OPS+

It isn't a great trend for a hitter who is meant to carry the lineup in Pittsburgh. It would be fine in Seattle, where Reynolds would play more of a supporting role to Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez. He'd be particularly useful at the top of the lineup, ideally in tandem with Donovan.

The Pirates reportedly made a strong push for Naylor before he re-signed with the Mariners, so there could be some kind of Naylor-for-Reynolds concept that works. Either way, Reynolds might be powerless to stop a trade to Seattle. The Mariners were not on his limited no-trade list as of 2025.

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