2 questions the Mariners have already answered in 2024, 1 that still lingers

This offseason was going to be a pivotal one for Jerry Dipoto, Justin Hollander, and the ownership of the Seattle Mariners. In what many thought would be the offseason that Dipoto and co. would have a little freer rein to improve the roster, fans (and likely Dipoto himself) were dealt huge blows in regard to the budget. This resulted in massive trades of key clubhouse guys as well as regular contributors like Eugenio Suarez, Marco Gonzales, and Jarred Kelenic.

There were many questions about how the Mariners would address the corner outfield issue, as well as the third base position. Can the Mariners do better than Tommy La Stella at the DH spot (I sure hope so)? After trading Paul Sewald and seeing how overworked the bullpen looked down the stretch, was there going to be reinforcements brought in? It also begged the question, is it worth it to move on from Ty France? All of these were serious questions that the Mariners needed to answer. Today we take a look at what issues the Mariners have finally answered and one problem that still lingers on.

The Mariners have found their answer at third base....for now

By far the biggest question for this Mariners team heading into 2024 was the third base position. Traditionally a position of power, the Mariners going from Geno to a combination of Josh Rojas and Luis Urias seemed like a massive step back. A potential Gold Glove candidate and 30-home-run threat to a pair of former "super utility" guys with contact ability coming off bad years. For a team lacking offense, this was very uninspiring.

50+ games into the year and this team would be terrible if it weren't for what Josh Rojas did through the first two months. The 30-year-old is slashing .281/.346/.417 with three home runs and four stolen bases. He doesn't have the power you would hope out of a third baseman, but not everyone does it the same. Rojas is a lot different than Geno and his 20% strikeout rate is a vast improvement over Geno's 31% in 2023.

When you pair that (and the recent demotion of Urias) with the incredible success that Dylan Moore has had to start the year, this third base position is a very solid platoon at third. These two have been the best offensive players on the team (and if the team hopes to be in contention, they need the big sticks to turn it around) and formed one of the most production positions in the league.

For now, the Mariners have their answer at first base. If you want to get crazy (and greedy) you would acquire a more proven, solid, everyday third baseman, and move Moore and Rojas to their traditional super utility roles.

The Mariners are still hoping to find their everyday DH and Garver looks bad

What's the best way to add offense? How about adding a premier player at a position that is literally "designated to hit"? That's exactly what the Mariners did in hopes of getting their best, bang for your buck on a budget-conscious team.

The team added Mitch Garver to a two-year deal with a third-year option. Considering what some of the other bats were getting in the offseason, this seemed like a very reasonable and smart move for Dipoto to make. On a per-game basis, Garver has been one of the best hitters in the game but has just struggled with consistency as well as the ability to stay healthy.

Over 50 games into the 2024 season and Garver has been a massive disappointment. His 81 wRC+ pales in comparison to his career 118 wRC+. His 31% strikeout rate is a career high so far and his .171 average shows signs of a hitter that is struggling massively. He is struggling to find the barrel (56th percentile barrel rate) as well as hit the ball hard, while his launch angle is the lowest it has been in six years.

The results from Garver have been a massive disappointment and played a huge role in the offensive struggles of this team. Garver is arguably the second-biggest bat in the lineup and his struggles (along with pretty much everyone else) have made this a bottom part of the league offense. Hopefully, Garver's results will change soon, but as of right now, Garver isn't showing the Mariners that they have found their guy at the DH position a la Nelson Cruz.