SODO MOJO
FanSided

3 Players the Mariners should avoid this offseason

In a pivotal offseason, the Mariners will look to add to a world series hopeful team. There is obvious need for a big bat, but there have been conversations about adding to their pitching depth. The Mariners should be cautious when it comes to these 3 players.

Colorado Rockies v San Diego Padres
Colorado Rockies v San Diego Padres | Sean M. Haffey/GettyImages
2 of 4

Blake Snell

Let me preface this by saying that Blake Snell is a very good pitcher. I would love to have him as a Seattle Mariner, and it seems that Snell's feelings are similar. However, I think that for the price of Snell, the Mariners would be wise to allocate those funds elsewhere. I think that is a major deterrent for me, but not the only one. I think he will command a contract similar to that of Carlos Rodon from last year when he signed a 6 year and $162 million dollar deal. That is just too rich for me, you would have Robbie Ray, Luis Castillo and Blake Snell making over $70 million combined, when arguably 2 of those 3 would slot behind Kirby and Gilbert.

Now, that contract normally wouldn't deter me from a 30 year old pitcher coming off a 6 win season, throwing 180 innings, with a 2.25 ERA, striking out 11.7 per 9 while most likely winning the NL Cy Young. But if you look at the underlying numbers and his history and I think that Blake Snell would seriously hamper this club. First off, from 2017-2022 (subtracting 2020), he averaged 134 innings per year. There are serious durability questions and for a pitcher that will command $20-$25+ million per year, that is hard to swollow. On top of that, outside of a really good 2018, he was a pretty mid-level pitcher with his highest WAR season coming last year and it was only a 2.1 win season. The icing on the cake here is the amount of walks he surrenders. He led baseball with 99 walks and 5 BB/9.

Blake Snell, deservedly, will win the NL Cy Young, but his fit on the Mariners is an awkward one. He is certainly a good pitcher, but I think that the Mariners would be wise to spend that money on a bat. If your thought process is to sign him and trade a Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo, then I would rather them do that trade, but sign a more traditional 4/5 starter and use the difference in funds there to build the depth of the major league roster, pushing guys like Mike Ford, Sam Haggerty, and Jose Caballero off the roster.

Home/Mariners News

Schedule