Mariners Candidate #2: Mike Ford
Let me preface this, Mike Ford was absolutely valuable to this team in 2023. He was better than the first baseman you were reading about on the previous slide, he was just very streaky. Mike Ford was instrumental in the Mariners winning a few games. He slashed .228/.323/.475 with 16 home runs, which was good for a 123 wRC+. He ran a high strikeout rate and relatively low walk rate, he just mashed!
Going into 2023, he shouldn't be guaranteed a bench role or any sort of role on the 26-man roster. He just hasn't proven to be enough of a good hitter, and surely you can do better. Mike Ford is pretty much a DH only; he could probably fake it at first base and defense isn't really that big of a deal for first baseman. Mike Ford can easily be replaced by any of the guys listed on the previous page and his bench spot should go to a more valuable bat and someone who can give you a little more positional versatility.