Mariners insider just revealed front office's offseason plans for first base

Now that the Rule 5 draft has signaled the end of the 2024-25 Winter Meetings, it's time for the Seattle Mariners and Jerry Dipoto to really get to work. The Winter Meetings sometimes bear fruit in terms of massive additions, but they mainly lay the groundwork for the next few weeks and potentially months that could see a flurry of moves.

While no significant moves were made by Dipoto and Justin Hollander, it looks like we may finally have a move to be on the lookout for. At least that's what Dipoto is hoping for, according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times.

In his regular appearance on Pucksports, Divish talked about the Mariners' priorities and how they currently want to upgrade the corner infield spots. An easy solution for them is to bring back former clubhouse favorite and leader, Carlos Santana.

Ryan Divish says Jerry Dipoto and Mariners want to sign Carlos Santana

With significant holes at both corner infield spots and second base, it looks like Dipoto has decided what direction he wants to move in at first base, and it is one that has been discussed all season. Santana has been rumored to be a favorite of Dipoto for most of this offseason and it looks like the Mariners President of Baseball Operations wants to make it official.

Santana was an integral part of the 2022 club that broke the longstanding playoff drought. Though his .192/.293/.400 slash line might not inspire a lot of confidence, his 15 home runs in 79 games were a welcome addition. His professional at-bats (just 20.4% K% and 12% BB%) and presence in the clubhouse proved paramount in pushing a young and inexperienced club into the postseason.

Fast forward a couple of years and Santana has been consistent with his game. In 2023 with the Brewers and Pirates, Santana slashed .240/.318/.429 (100 wRC+) with 23 home runs and 86 RBI. He was a 1.5 fWAR player, which was completely serviceable given his age (he's turning 39).

His 2024 saw a rejuvenation. He slashed .238/.328/.420 (114 wRC+) with 23 home runs, a 16.7% K% and 10.9% BB% while adding the first Gold Glove award to his collection.

This team needs offense no matter where it comes from. Santana is a great presence and someone that we know Julio Rodriguez, JP Crawford and Cal Raleigh all enjoyed in the locker room. Dipoto has placed a lot of value on someone that can be a leader and guide a young and inexperienced team back to the playoffs. Santana would be a great addition to the clubhouse and a solid first baseman for a team looking to rebound after a disappointing year.