3 bold internal moves to jumpstart Mariners' uneven offense

A new role for Mitch Haniger 

Like most Mariner fans, general manager Justin Hollander's reacquisition of Mitch Haniger tugged at my heartstrings. From the clutch hits to the grinder attitude, Haniger embodied what we all wanted in a Mariner, and his coming back home was a fantastic story. However, he's underperforming in the batter's box (.197/.258/.596) and in the field (-3 OAA). 

Haniger's subpar defensive performance, combined with Mitch Garver's being a full-time designated hitter, puts Servais in a bind because both Mitches should be bat-only players. Servais has a strategic move to make here, and it's in the mold of protecting a player with flaws. He did this in 2022 with Dylan Moore and Sam Haggerty, only playing them against opposite-handed pitching and getting the best out of two role players. The result was career years for both players (combined 3.9 WAR). 

Luke Raley's emergence, teamed with Haniger's quarter-season slump, is reason enough to play the 33-year-old against lefties. Mitch Haniger is a veteran with an injury history who will always need load management. It's time to embrace reality; Haniger isn't an everyday player. Play him 2-3 times a week, and put the clubhouse leader in the best situation to succeed. 

Jorge Polanco's injury should open the door for Leo Rivas. 

Jorge Polanco, a player Hollander has strategically tried to acquire for the past two years, ranks last among American League second basemen in average (.192), hits (28), and first in strikeouts with 53. This team was counting on the former Minnesota Twin to be a stabilizing force in the middle of the lineup, but that has yet to come to fruition. Additionally, the 31-year-old infielder left the game earlier this week with an injury. 

Polanco has a history of injuries, lately hamstring injuries, which can take a while to heal. These types of injuries usually require at least a 10-day IL stint and a short rehab assignment. In Polanco's case, that course of action should be just what the doctor ordered. Give him time to reset mentally, heal, and spend a week with the Rainiers to get right. 

The good news is plenty of players on the major league roster can play second base. Dylan Moore, Josh Rojas, Leo Rivas, and Luis Urias all have significant experience at the keystone. I'd probably lean toward more Leo Rivas because of his ability to switch hit, above-average contact ability, and 80-grade speed. Having the 26-year-old speedster at the bottom of the lineup when J.P Crawford returns this week could do wonders for the offense. 

Polanco is a key cog in the lineup, and Servais needs to push all the buttons and pull every lever to help him turn the disastrous season around. 

Luis Urias' sporadic playing time and struggles should force the front office to opt for him to go to Tacoma. 

The 2024 Tacoma Rainiers have an interesting roster filled with utility players. Jason Vosler, Michael Chavis, Ryan Bliss, Samad Taylor, and the newly acquired Jake Slaughter (80-grade baseball name) can all play multiple positions. Servais loves to have guys on the bench who can wear various gloves. With Haggerty, Moore, and Rojas, he has three of them on the 26-man roster right now. 

I'd put Luis Urias in that grouping, but he needs to perform even remotely close to their level to stay on the roster. An offseason acquisition who was supposed to platoon with Rojas at the hot corner, Urias is running a .187/.304/.683 slash line. While the OPS looks good, it is inflated because Urias has flashed some surprising pop (6 XBH) in 25 games. 

The 27-year-old infielder started slow this spring due to an offseason shoulder injury and never really caught fire. Granted, it's hard to pick up steam offensively when Josh Rojas gets most of the at-bats. But the truth is, as long as Rojas and, to an extent, Dylan Moore continues to hit, Urias doesn't have a spot on this team, and when looking at the bench construction, the skillset needs to be more varied. 

The team should call up Vosler because he can play both corners and right field in a pinch. A lefty-swinging utility man can also bring a power component to the bench, a la Mike Ford. Sending Urias to Tacoma to get everyday at-bats could allow him the opportunity to gain some traction and possibly rejoin the team later this season for the stretch run. 

While we'd all love for the front office to make an early-season trade to acquire Pete Alonso or some other proven veteran bat, there are moves the team can make before they unload the farm. It's time to make the tough calls because the 2024 American League West crown is there for the taking.