5 free agents Mariners must avoid like the plague (and 1 big fish they must catch)

With free agency now underway, the rumor mill is flying. The Mariners will be linked to many free agents over the next month or two, but here are five they should avoid, and one they should be all-in on.

5 free agents the Mariners must avoid — and 1 who's worth going all-in to catch

Avoid Alex Bregman

Bregman would be a solid add for any team in the league at third base. The Mariners need a third baseman. Isn't this a great fit? It might be, if Bregman had not spent so much of his career with the Astros. The team the Mariners fans hate more than any other, and that most fans believe to have been cheating during their World Series run in 2017 (Bregman's second year).

It feels like Mariners would have a hard time getting used to Bregman being in Seattle, and it might not be the best idea to commit millions of dollars to him.

Avoid Dylan Cease

The Mariners don't need a starting pitcher anyways, but if they did want to add a starter, Cease would not be the best option. He has been inconsistent over the past few seasons with the Padres, and it feels like he is too risky to commit any money to this winter.

Avoid Eugenio Suárez

This one will be sad for Mariners fans who love the good vibes that Suárez brings to the team. However, it's important to remember how much Suárez struggled in August and September after being traded to the Mariners. Seattle will always remember Suárez for how he helped deliver them to the playoffs in 2022 and 2025, but it is time to move on for good.

Avoid Luis Arraez

Arraez would be considered as a DH and utility infielder, with first base now occupied by Josh Naylor for the next five years. However, Arraez should probably be stayed away from. He is a one-dimensional player whose one skill is his ability to hit for contact. He has no power, no speed, and no defensive abilities.

Avoid Munetaka Murakami

Another third baseman who has drawn plenty of buzz, Murakami's defense projects more like a first baseman in the long term. The Mariners would be making a mistake signing a guy with a first base profile to play third base long term. They should let someone else take the fall for Murakami.

Go all-in on Kyle Schwarber

The Mariners should go all in on Kyle Schwarber. The team needs a DH, and there is no better DH available than this guy, who hit 187 home runs in just four seasons in Philadelphia. He would anchor the lineup and form a 1-2-3 punch with Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez that might just be unstoppable.