Dodgers-Juan Soto rumors during World Series should put pressure on Mariners

When it comes to signing the biggest names in baseball, the Seattle Mariners are rarely the top choice for the best players in the game. While that is fair — whether it be location, overall contract payout, or organizational success — Seattle gets pushed even further to the bottom of the list when several big-market clubs become interested in pursuing a player of otherworldly talent.

This makes things particularly difficult for the M's to stand out once another evil empire wants in on superstar sweepstakes, regardless of how busy that club is currently.

Even though the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are amidst competing in the World Series, it has not stopped the rumors of those teams pursuing Juan Soto ocne he hits free agency in about a week.

Backed by three MVPs in their lineup, Los Angeles enters Wednesday with a 3-1 lead over New York, and yet, that still doesn't seem to be enough for them. The Shohei Ohtani contract and its obnoxious deferrals has the Dodgers skipping for joy because, well, now they can go after any player they want to add to their All-Star lineup. Other teams beware.

MLB Rumors: Dodgers interested in Juan Soto, Mariners must make free agency impact

It's now been reported that the Dodgers are interested in Juan Soto, which should not come as a surprise. They've gotten everything and everyone they wanted recently, signing Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Freddie Freeman. So, why not? They may as well give the Soto sweepstakes a shot.

The Dodgers throwing their hat in the ring should put pressure on the Mariners to at least be active in free agency. Nobody was counting on them to land Soto, but if LA is spending this much money, fans aren't going to be convinced that the Mariners need to be so strict with their budget.

Sadly, Seattle might be able to compete with one big-market organization, but once three teams (Yankees, Mets, Dodgers) with significantly larger payrolls are all swarming Soto like sharks, the Mariners are pretty much out. And even if it was a two-horse race, fans could see ownership still getting cold feet.

Seattle is considered to be a landing spot for some other All-Star-caliber players, although they may not transcend an organization like Soto can. Either way, Seattle is predicted to be busy this offseason, whether it means trading players or offering contract extensions to those who should stay with the team long-term.

While Soto never felt like a real target for the Mariners, the Dodgers rumors should at least serve as a form of urgency for ownership and the front office to meaningfully upgrade Seattle's playoff-contending roster that continues to fall short.