3 bold moves the Mariners should make at the Winter Meetings

3. Sign Shohei Ohtani, Shocking I know.

We have spent so much time writing about Ohtani signing with the Mariners. There is not a lot here I can tell you that you don't already know. Ohtani might be the best player to ever play the game. He is going to command the biggest contract ever given out in Baseball, and he deserves every penny. What are the Mariners chances of actually signing Ohtani? Probably slim. We know he likes the city. He has said he spent a few offseasons here, training at Driveline.

I think there is a chance he signs here, if he wants to be here. Shohei has already turned down hundreds of millions of dollars to come to the U.S. early. Maybe he is driven by money now, but he has never shown to be driven by money in his past. He will go where he wants to go, if the team has offered him a contract. We have seen this before. Felix Hernandez took less money to come to Seattle, because his idol Freddy Garcia was here. Who's to say Ohtani comes to Seattle because Ichiro is here?

Seattle signs Shohei Ohtani to a 5 year, $300,000,000 deal ($60,000,000 AAV)

Signing Ohtani means you do not have to trade a starting pitcher. He will not be pitching in 2024 because he had Tommy John Surgery. That gives the Mariners a window of time to see what pitcher they want / need to deal for more bats. They could wait until the Trade Deadline, when prices come down for rental bats. They could even wait until next offseason, where maybe Woo or Miller's value goes even higher.

As always, Go Mariners!