3 Options for the Mariners at 3rd Base if Luis Urias is Hurt

Option #3: Take a leap of faith, sign Matt Cha...

While Bliss, Locklear, and Young have looked tremendous so far, it's important to remember that they are still in the infancy stages of their careers, and have combined for just 23 ABs in Spring Training so far. Jerry Dipoto, love him or hate him, has built a team that has been successful the past three seasons, and they are close to breaking through. He also has stated countless times he wants to be a consistent winner, much like the Braves and Dodgers.

By not rushing guys like Young, Locklear, and Bliss, you're putting them in a better position to succeed, even if there's a real chance they are ready early. In our third option, we push for the Mariners to protect their prospects and future, instead, bringing Matt Chapman to Seattle... at least that was the case when originally writing this article.

SoDo Mojo has done a fantastic job of breaking down the pros and cons of signing Matt Chapman, but it's important to understand the context now that we're in the 9th inning of the free agency period. First, Urías has forced the team's hand. Even with his triple yesterday, he's not going to play DH and he can't even throw more than 70 feet right now. 

Lastly, this team is so close, they may already be there. When the offseason started, many thought that the Mariners needed to make huge splashes to have a chance to make a run. The Mariners are going to need to go out and do something at third base, otherwise they risk starting the seasons behind the proverbial eight-ball before it even starts.