Mariners are ready for life after Logan Gilbert after nabbing LSU standout lefty

Sunday, July 13 is proving to be perhaps the best day the Seattle Mariners have had all year. They warmed up by defeating the Detroit Tigers to complete a three-game sweep, and then they had Kade Anderson fall into their laps with the No. 3 pick in the MLB Draft.

The selection of Anderson is equal parts huge win and massive gift, courtesy of the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels. The LSU left-hander was in the running to go No. 1 overall, yet there he was for the M's at No. 3 after the Nats and Angels both passed.

In the immediate future, Anderson is set to become yet another top-100 overall prospect in Seattle's farm system. The organization already has nine of those in MLB Pipeline's top 100, including fellow hurlers Jurrangelo Cijntje and Ryan Sloan, both of whom were notable draft picks just last year.

As for the long-term future, the big picture suddenly looks like a bittersweet one.

The Mariners have yet another future ace for their post-Logan Gilbert era

The Mariners are smack in the middle of a five-year contention run that has been fueled largely by starting pitching. Trading for Luis Castillo in 2022 sure helped, but the Mariners have mostly built this engine themselves.

Seattle drafted and developed Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo. Only Miller hasn't been an All-Star, and he was the guy who actually led Seattle pitchers in rWAR last season. Gilbert and Kirby have each netted a top-10 finish in the American League Cy Young Award voting, and Woo seems all but certain to do the same this year.

The creeping concern, though, has been and continues to be that the Mariners have yet to lock up any of these guys with a contract extension. The concern has been especially pressing with regard to Gilbert, who has made it clear that he wants to stay in Seattle.

“They know where I stand,” the 28-year-old said in March after the Mariners extended battery mate Cal Raleigh, as per Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. “Seattle has become like home for me, and I’d love to be able to finish my career here.”

The feeling is surely mutual as far as Mariners fans are concerned, yet no deal has materialized and the ticking of the clock is only getting louder. Gilbert is ticketed for free agency after the 2027 season.

And yet, you had to wonder if this particular ship was already sailing even before the events of Sunday. Beyond the fact that no deal between Gilbert and the Mariners has been made, some of the iron man mystique that he crafted with an MLB-high 208.2 innings in 2024 wore off when he landed on the injured list with a flexor strain back in April. That sidelined him for about six weeks, and his first six starts back have been more good than great.

Though the Mariners extending Gilbert would be a sentimental win if nothing else, it has become fair to question if it would truly be a good business decision for the franchise. It would likely cost well over nine figures to do a deal, and that is frankly a riskier proposition now than it was in March.

Meanwhile, the Mariners have every right to feel bullish about Anderson one day becoming an ace in their rotation. This is the model franchise in MLB as far as pitching development, and he's about as can't-miss as pitching prospects get. A lefty with four above average pitches and good control? If the Mariners can't turn a guy like that into a No. 1 pitcher, nobody can.

Granted, none of this is to imply that Gilbert is as good as gone after 2027 — or even sooner, given that trades are a thing. But if that does prove to be the case, the Mariners will hardly be empty-handed in terms of potential replacements.