Mariners should be all over pesky menace released by Angels

As MLB rosters take their final shape, teams across the league are making the toughest decisions of the spring to shave their rosters down to 26 players.

The Seattle Mariners, who haven't been afraid to shy away from a little roster drama of their own, could open up a spot on their 40-man roster. Fortunately, the Los Angeles Angels just served up the perfect candidate on a silver platter.

In a move that can only really be described as bizarre (or peak Angels), ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that the Halos have released outfielder Mickey Moniak. Yes, that Mickey Moniak — the same one who has made a habit of terrorizing the Mariners.

The former No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft was owed $2 million this season after winning an arbitration hearing, so the Angels releasing him allows them to get away with paying him $484,000. Moniak's value as a free agent is now so perfectly aligned with the Mariners' budget-conscious approach that if Jerry Dipoto doesn’t at least make a call, we have to assume he’s been physically restrained from reaching for his phone.

After all, the Mariners offseason strategy has been built on bargain hunting, how could you not take a flyer on a guy who has already proven he can rake against your own team?

What's better than a Mariners killer turned Mariner?

Moniak has played 24 games against Seattle. In those matchups, he’s racked up 20 hits, including six home runs, 11 RBIs, and 12 runs scored — all while batting .244. Even though five of those six bombs came at Angel Stadium, we shouldn't pretend the Mariners haven’t had their fair share of nightmares thanks to him.

Case in point? August 31, 2024 — Moniak’s first-ever career multi-homer game, including a game-tying shot in the seventh and a walk-off solo blast in the ninth. Pure, unfiltered pain.

Outside of beating the Mariners, what is Moniak's real potential? His 2023 campaign showed legitimate promise — 14 home runs, a .280 average, and a 114 OPS+ over 85 games. Unfortunately, 2024 told a different story. He still managed 14 homers, but his batting average plummeted to .219 and his OPS+ dropped to 81. Add in a rough spring training, and suddenly, the Angels decided he wasn’t worth keeping around.

Here’s the thing: this still should be a no-braining for the Mariners. Moniak is still just 26 years old. If Dipoto is serious about maximizing depth (and let’s be honest, he lives for maximizing depth), this is a move that makes too much sense to ignore.

At worst, Moniak could be a serviceable fourth or fifth outfielder. At best, he figures something out with a change of scenery and forces his way into making more frequent appearances in the lineup. Either way, it’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward signing for a Mariners team that always seems to be searching for a little outfield help.

So, Mr. Dipoto, it’s time to do what you do best and work the phones. If you don’t, don’t be surprised when Moniak comes back to haunt Seattle in a different uniform. This is a guy you might just want on your side.