The Seattle Mariners finally kickstarted some free agent spending earlier this month after agreeing to a one-year deal with infielder Donovan Solano. Unfortunately for Mariners fans, there's been little to no activity ever since.
Meanwhile, one of the Mariners' top AL West rivals, the Houston Astros, have been very busy this winter, and according to MLB insider Mike Feinsand, they may not be done. Houston is reportedly looking to replace Kyle Tucker with another All-Star in free agent outfielder Jurickson Profar.
Mariners Rumors: Astros targeting free agent outfielder Jurickson Profar
The Astros have joined the Toronto Blue Jays in pursuit of the veteran outfielder. Despite posting career numbers across the board in 2024 and going to the Midsummer Classic for the first time, Profar has been lingering on the free agent market for sometime. But with Anthony Santander having inked a massive deal withe Blue Jays, Profar is the best outfielder remaining outfielder in free agency.
While Houston was able to add third baseman Isaac Paredes and upgrade their beleaguered farm system with the addition of Cam Smith, trading Tucker to the Chicago Cubs earlier this offseason left a gigantic hole in the Astros' outfield. But if Houston can manage to add Profar, they'll suddenly thrust themselves right back into familiar territory — favorites in the AL West.
.@Feinsand says the Blue Jays have expressed interest in free agents Pete Alonso and Jurickson Profar.#MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/Ch4QXzvfS3
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 21, 2025
It sure would be nice if the Mariners showed the same sense of urgency being displayed by the Astros front office. Instead, Jerry Dipoto and his team have kicked the can down the road throughout the entire offseason. With less than a month remaining before the club reports to Arizona for spring training, Seattle has added little more than a utility infielder to it's offensively-inept roster.
If the Astros do indeed come to terms with Profar, the Mariners will be sitting in third-place (maybe lower) in the AL West hierarchy. Every other team in the division, including the Athletics, have made moves this offseason that will make their teams better. The same cannot be said of the Mariners, and the fanbase is becoming quite frustrated.