Mariners fans are about to blow a gasket over Jerry Dipoto's comments on offseason

Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto refuses to get out of his own way. To say this offseason has been insufferable would be a gross understatement for Seattle fans. And yet, instead of easing any of the frustration, Dipoto’s Zoom meeting this past Monday served as another reminder of his apparent disdain for transparency and accountability.

What was intended to comfort fans turned into another exercise in gaslighting, one that only further insulted their intelligence.

Just a couple of months ago, we heard a very different tune from the Mariners' front office. In December, Mariners GM Justin Hollander acknowledged that the offseason had been off to a slow start. MLB insider Daniel Kramer first reported Hollander’s comments: “We usually don’t lack for activity. There just hasn’t been the right set of circumstances yet to allow us to add, but I’m confident we’ll get there.”

Dipoto, aligned with the GM added on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio: “We do have the ability to add payroll, which by virtue of the calls that I've made through the early part of this offseason. We do have some financial freedoms.”

Fast forward 60 days, and the messaging has done a complete 180. Since these remarks, the majority of top free agents have signed anywhere but Seattle — many without even receiving a call. The organization has spent time kicking tires, aimlessly throwing darts on the trade market, and attempting to fleece teams without having to give up or take on too much. Then came Dipoto’s comments on Monday, claiming the Mariners “already have a good offensive team” and that they “didn’t need to do a whole lot” to improve. He is confident in the additions made this offseason to support the roster. This, despite the team with an offense that finished 29th in runs scored in 2024 and has failed to rank in the top half of the league since 2017.

And who are these supposed additions? A 37-year-old platoon bat in Donovan Solano, an aging Jorge Polanco, and Miles Mastrobuoni, who has spent his career flirting with the Mendoza Line. These are the pieces Dipoto expects fans to believe will ensure the team is playing meaningful games in October.

Is Jerry Dipoto bracing for the backlash from Mariners fans?

As mentioned when talking about the Mariners offseason so far, their fans weren’t born yesterday, and the disconnect between the front office and its supporters is becoming more blatant by the day. The team is treading dangerously close to alienating its own homegrown stars. The starting rotation isn’t getting any cheaper, and Platinum Glove winner Cal Raleigh has publicly voiced his frustration with the organization’s inability to acquire game-changing talent.

No one would fault Dipoto and Hollander for operating under financial limitations, if they were honest about it. Instead, they spin corporate jargon, overpromise and underdeliver, expecting fans to buy into a narrative that simply doesn’t hold water. It’s as if Dipoto is wearing metaphorical armor, bracing himself for the backlash he knows is coming.

At some point, painting a picture of upgrading the roster while putting out the same underwhelming product will unequivocally lead to unrest. The fans know it. The players know it. And the front office knows it too. Maybe that’s exactly why they keep daring fans to hold them accountable. So, perhaps it’s time to oblige them.