3 prominent Mariners creeping toward the chopping block before June

Now that the Mariners have more than 40 games under their belt, there's enough data to start thinking about which players have more to prove to retain their roster spot.

The team's most recognizable names are likely safe no matter how cold they've been to start the year but further down the depth chart, these names don't have quite as much job security.

These 3 Mariners are already in danger of losing their jobs before June

Leo Rivas

After posting a 121 wRC+ and 0.8 fWAR across 111 plate appearances last year, there was some hope that Rivas could make more of a name for himself after serving as Brendan Donovan's substitute at third base. Unfortunately, his offensive production has plummeted and his 47 wRC+ this year is the 10th-worst in MLB for players with more than 100 plate appearances.

His 5-foot-7, 150-pound frame has always limited the amount of damage he can do, but it's not the only thing holding him back. Last year, Rivas had an excellent on-base percentage of .387 thanks to his 8.1% chase rate and 18.0% walk rate. However, a closer look revealed that this wasn't so much the result of plate discipline as it was the result of passivity.

His zone swing rate in 2025 was just 55.4%. This year, opposing pitchers have been more aggressive and have been punishing him for keeping the bat on his shoulder. Now, he's striking out at a 30.4% clip while chasing 18.9% of the time.

Defensively, he has been solid and could remain on the roster for more infield depth for a little while longer. But once Colt Emerson is ready, which could be at some point later this year, it'll likely be Rivas's spot that he takes.

Rob Refsnyder

When he initially signed his one-year deal with Seattle, it seemed like a smart play. Over the past few seasons, he had established a reputation as being an excellent platoon option against left-handed pitching. But that skillset has yet to translate to his tenure as a Mariner. His .449 OPS against left-handed pitching is worse than everyone on the team with more than 40 plate appearances other than Cal Raleigh.

This leaves the team with few options for Refsnyder, who is failing to fulfill the main part of his role. He has a more respectable OPS of .786 as a pinch hitter, but it's a smaller sample that fails to compensate for his otherwise lackluster production, especially since Seattle could choose to rely on Connor Joe instead.

Víctor Robles

Robles hit the injured list after just 13 plate appearances, and it seems pretty clear that there's not much left in the tank. Since starting his rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma, he has managed an OPS of just .556 in 24 plate appearances, yet another sign that whatever fortune he had in 2024 has now been spent.

The Mariners haven't really noticed his absence, especially since Luke Raley has been doing an excellent job in right field. His offensive production has been incredible, recently becoming the first player this season to accumulate seven RBI in a single game. His 143 OPS+ is the highest on the team by a comfortable margin and at this point, swapping him out for Robles would seem like a direct downgrade.

Of all the players currently on the roster, Robles arguably has the least present and future value. With no clear path to a resurgence, it'd be unsurprising if he found himself jettisoned to make room for someone else. If he does find a way to remain on the roster through to the end of the season, it's virtually certain that the Mariners will not exercise his $9 million club option for 2027. Despite starting with a spark, it seems like his time with the team will end in a disappointing fizzle.

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