3 contract extensions Mariners should consider priorities ahead of MLB lockout

Even when baseball isn't being played, the sport never stops moving. The offseason is one of the busiest times of year, as it's when the business of the game is handled. Trades, free agency, and the Rule 5 draft are some of the major things that go down during the winter. This year, the impending renewal of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement could give fans more of an offseason than they're wanting.

The divide between players and owners on a potential salary cap has many believing that the season will be negatively impacted by a labor stoppage. If one does occur, teams will be barred from speaking with their players, making any negotiations impossible. Negotiating free agency and trades can't really get started until the conclusion of the World Series, but the Mariners can get ahead on extension talks if they so choose. It could be their best shot at hitting the ground running this offseason and they have a few players who'd be strong candidates.

The 3 players the Mariners need to consider locking up before the lockout

Andrés Muñoz, RHP

For most teams, extending closers isn't really standard practice. Relievers are as volatile as they come and pitching in high-leverage is difficult to do well consistently. However, Seattle has already demonstrated a willingness to take a risk on bullpen arms, offering Muñoz a four-year, $7.5 million extension after he earned just two outs for the team in a season lost to Tommy John recovery.

In the years since, he has proven that investment to be quite the bet as he has posted a 2.60 ERA over 290.2 innings for Seattle with 104 saves, already the third-most of any Mariner. After this year, he'll have two more team options on his contract for $8 million and $10 million, but an extension could be possible.

This hasn't been an easy season for Muñoz. He has conceded more earned runs than any other season in his career and though a 3.98 ERA isn't the worst, it's not quite what fans have come to expect out of him. Nonetheless, his FIP of 2.97 and elite chase (38.0%), whiff (41.2%), and strikeout (38.5%) rates suggest he's still got more to offer, especially with his new changeup.

An extension could be a big win for both parties. Muñoz will get added stability in an inherently unstable role and the Mariners will hold onto one of the best relievers in the American League. He's 25 saves away from surpassing Kazuhiro Sasaki's franchise record and if nothing else, it'd be a shame to see him go so soon after making history.

Cole Young, 2B

The offensive profile may not be compelling enough to bail out an underwhelming lineup, but Young is looking like he'll soon be the complete package. At 4.2 rWAR, he is the second-most valuable player on the team behind Randy Arozarena (4.5). His 100 OPS+ grades him as a league-average bat, but the only second basemen to have more Defensive Runs Saved than Young (15) is Brice Turang (21).

At 23 years old, his approach at the plate will continue to develop and to his credit, he's already taken a big step forward from his rookie season in which he hit to an OPS+ of just 77. He's moving in the right direction, squaring up the ball more frequently, and there's still time for him to continue refining his skillset.

The Mariners already have their shortstop of the future locked down and unless they want to consider acquiring an infielder from elsewhere, it could make sense to do the same for second base and have a purely homegrown middle infield.

Bryan Woo, RHP

The Mariners have no shortage of starters to extend but Bryan Woo stands out as the most alluring. Logan Gilbert has only one more year of club control, George Kirby has seemingly stalled in his development, and Bryce Miller may never repeat the success he found in 2024. Woo has the pedigree and service time status to make him the ideal candidate for a mutually beneficial extension.

His 4.03 ERA for the year may seem unsightly relative to this past two seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA but his FIP of 3.34 is better than any other year in his big league career. He's still one of the best in the game at limiting walks (5.6%) and his four-seam fastball remains one of the best in the business.

His longevity is also an underrated characteristic. Over the past two seasons, he ranks 10th in innings pitched. The repeatability of his mechanics and reliance on stuff over pure velocity should allow him to consistently take the ball every five days for Seattle moving forward.

The organization has been extremely bullish on him since the draft and for good reason. He has all of the trappings of a modern ace and the longer the team waits to retain him, the more the price will increase. Though the front office has been quick to hand out extensions for homegrown position players, they haven't had the same gusto when it comes to their own starting pitchers. Perhaps Bryan Woo can be the first to buck that trend.

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