4 players whose future with Mariners could be cut short after Winter Meetings

While the Seattle Mariners need to drastically improve this offense, it doesn't seem like there will be any dramatic moves that thrust them into comparisons with the Yankees or Dodgers. Changes are needed, however, and with the expected payroll limitations, Jerry Dipoto will once again have to get creative.

With a full season under Dan Wilson, Edgar Martinez and new hitting coach, Kevin Seitzer, Dipoto might be relying too much on the coaching to improve last year's disappointments. With MLB's Winter Meetings set to begin, Dipoto should be looking to make a few significant additions to this roster. If he is able to pull it off, there could be a few Mariners whose futures could come to an end soon.

4 Seattle Mariners who could be moved at this year's MLB Winter Meetings

Mitch Garver

Garver's lone season in Seattle thus far has been a massive disappointment. Expected to be a key cog in a revamped Mariners lineup, Garver stumbled out of the gate and just never put it together.

After numerous seasons of above average offense and plus power, Garver struggled to a .172/.286/.341 slash line with 15 home runs in the most games played in his career in 2024. His near 31% strikeout rate was a career high by far, and he was a massive liability at the plate.

Trading Garver might not be easy considering the poor season he is coming off. His $12.5M salary in 2025 to likely serve as a backup catcher is just too expensive. Trading Garver would likely take the Mariners eating some of the salary or parting with a few really good prospects. If Dipoto is working within the expected budget constraints, Garver could find himself smack dab in the middle of a salary dump move.

Emerson Hancock

Hancock was expected to join the duo of Logan Gilbert and George Kirby to give Seattle a "Big 3" of high-upside arms. Unfortunately, things just haven't progressed how many expected, and he seems more like a back-end starter. With a few of the veteran additions that the team has made over the last couple of years, Hancock's time in Seattle could be coming to an end.

The right-hander might find himself on the move this winter for a team looking to take a chance on the former first-round pick. The former Georgia Bulldog isn't going to fetch much, but he is still going to be just 26 years old for half of the 2025 season, still full of potential as he matures. Hancock could serve as a decent tertiary piece in a potential deal for offense or a smaller, prospect-for-prospect swap.

Trent Thornton

Trent Thornton is a product of the Mariners' ability to find reclamation arms and turn them into legitimate bullpen contributors. The most used reliever in the Mariners' bullpen in 2024, Thornton threw 72 1/3 innings with a 3.61 ERA and had a solid 9.6 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9.

This team, with all of the offensive struggles, still has issues in their bullpen. With the team expected to call upon even more reclamation projects, Eduard Bazardo and a promising, yet unproven, righty in Troy Taylor, why would they trade one of their most dependable arms?

We know Dipoto is going to have to get creative this offseason in addressing the offense, and he will need all of the financial resources he can get. This is where Thorton could become a casualty.

Thornton is set to earn about $1.35 million in arbitration, and though that doesn't seem like a lot of money, every dollar counts. With the expectation that this team can find another reliever out of thin air, Thornton and his money could be on the move.

Tayler Saucedo

Saucedo falls into the same position as the previously mentioned Thornton. Saucedo is set to earn $1.5 million and there is more justification that he isn't worth that money.

As the Mariners' primary lefty option in the bullpen, Saucedo threw 38 2/3 innings and his 3.49 ERA may not look too bad on the surface. However, Saucedo was just a pretty average reliever and towards the end of the year struggled with a 14.73 ERA in August.

Saving $1.5 million for an average lefty shouldn't be a decision most teams would have to consider, but this Mariners team is different. Trading Saucedo and Thornton would save nearly $3 million which could be allocated towards a more regular position player, which would be a lot better use of funds for Dipoto.