Mariners infield has fallen into totally foreseeable disarray in no time at all

The Seattle Mariners aren't off to the hottest start. With just over two weeks of games under their belt, they already find themselves four wins behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. To make matters worse, one of the key pieces of their lineup recently hit the injured list, further hindering an already lackluster offense.

While the outfield was expected to be rock solid, questions have been surrounding the infield since the conclusion of last season. Spring training did little to clear things up, but now that we have more than 10 games of data, we can definitively say that the infield still has quite a bit of work to do.

There isn't a part of the Mariners infield that is working, and it's a huge problem

The problems start at first base. Neither Rowdy Tellez nor Donovan Solano have been able to get off the ground and are far from being the premier sluggers typically found in the position. Across 37 combined plate appearances from them, they have a total of two hits, one RBI, and one walk.

In Tellez's defense, he signed a minor league deal with the organization and fairly earned a roster spot during spring training. But with the way things have been going in the regular season, it may already be time to look for outside help.

At second base, fan favorite Ryan Bliss has played outstanding defense, but hasn't put up the same performance at the plate. He finally hit his first home run of the year against the Houston Astros on Monday, but is still at a 80 OPS+ with two caught-stealings next to two successful stolen bases. With his sprint speed in the top decile, his low success rate is more likely due to poor baserunning decision-making than to a lack of athleticism.

Third base is an unexpected exception to the rule. After Jorge Polanco's lackluster first year with the franchise in 2024, reactions to his re-signing were lukewarm at best. Yet he has been the team's hottest hitter. While Polanco's 1.107 OPS should convince you his approach has taken big steps forward since last year, his surgically repaired left knee has already forced the M's to rest him multiple times. When he has played the hot corner, his performance has been lacking.

Already in the bottom quartile for arm strength, the longer throws from third base have been short at best and errant at worst for Polanco. Luckily, the organization has super-utility player Dylan Moore. He has not only played more third base than any other role this season, he's also the team's most second-most productive hitter with a .938 OPS so far.

Finally, we have J.P. Crawford at shortstop. He is having a lopsided season. Over 40 plate appearances, he has an astronomical yet unsustainable 22.7 walk rate while having just four hits, none of which have been for extra bases. Consistently one of the most disciplined hitters on the Mariners, he hasn't barreled up enough balls to do real damage just yet.

The infield is just one of several problems the team is already facing but it's one that demands attention, especially since many of these issues are holdovers from last year. With a lack of stability at the corners and a slumping middle infield, the front office will be left with some tough decisions if they want to remain competitive past April.