3 Possibilities for the Mariners at DH in Free Agency

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The Mariners are in search of a designated hitter this off-season and are looking at free agents to fill the void. Last year, the Mariners fell short in free agency in their attempt to replace Carlos Santana at DH, settling for Tommy La Stella and A.J. Pollock. Both of whom did not pan out for the M's in 2023. However, the Mariners were able to salvage the position thanks to Mike Ford, who made the major league roster after crushing AAA pitching in Tacoma. Ford hit .228, with a .798 OPS, 16 HR, and 34 RBI in 83 games during 2023 season.

Whoever the Mariners decide to add in free agency, they need to be more productive at the position. GM Justin Hollander and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto cannot afford to miss on who they sign as the next Mariners DH. After trading away Eugenio Suarez and Jarred Kelenic, along with letting Teoscar Hernandez seek free agency, the Mariners are in desperate need of adding power to their lineup. Each of those players combined for 59 HR and 238 RBI in 2023. Which is why finding bats to replace the production of Suarez, Kelenic, and Hernandez is of high importance. Adding a new DH would be a good place for the Mariners to start.

There are good options at DH for the Mariners to pursue this off-season. The Mariners front office has been linked to several possible DHs this off-season. Here are three designated hitters for the Mariners to consider in free agency:

Rhys Hoskins

Rhys Hoskins unfortunately missed the 2023 season after suffering a torn ACL, in a Spring Training game. Before his injury, Hoskins was a career .242 hitter, with an .846 OPS, 148 HR, and 405 RBI over six seasons with the Philidelphia Phillies. While Hoskins' injury is a point of concern, it should be noted he is one of the younger free agent bats available at just 30 years old. Hoskins also has the ability to hit for power and can be a strong middle of the order presence when he is healthy.

Though signing Hoskins would carry some risk, given he is recovering from an injury which kept him out of the 2023 season, he would be better than the DHs the M's signed last off-season. Hoskins should bounce back from the injury he suffered last season and be the home run threat he once was. He also probably would not cost as much as some of the other bats available in free agency, given he missed all of 2023. The Mariners have shown interest in Rhys Hoskins, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Hoskins is a possible option for the Mariners to consider for DH this off-season.

JD Martinez

JD Martinez is one of the older possibilities for the Mariners to consider in free agency (he is 36 years old). However, he could provide a veteran presence, and also be a solid middle of the order bat. Martinez hit .271, with an .893 OPS, 103 RBI, and 33 HR in a stacked LA Dodgers lineup. He played in just 113 games, but he made the most of those appearances. Martinez would likely be a short term option for the Mariners given his age, but given his breadth of experience he could be just what the M's are looking for.

If the Mariners sign JD Martinez, his numbers at T-Mobile Park stand out. For his career, JD Martinez has a .328 batting average, .970 OPS, 9 HR, and 25 RBI in 33 games at T-Mobile Park. The only significant question is his inability to play the outfield. Jerry Dipoto has stressed he wants to sign a DH who can also play in the outfield as a platoon player to protect left-handed outfielders such as Dominic Canzone. The Mariners could always look past the fielding issue with Martinez. They could decide to give a younger outfielder such as Jonatan Clase, a chance to play in the big leagues if they sign Martinez.

Jorge Soler

Jorge Soler makes a ton of sense for the Mariners at DH, because he can also play a corner outfield position and platoon for a left-handed outfielder. He started 31 games in right field for the Marlins last season, showing he can be utilized as both a DH and an outfielder. For his career, Soler has a .243 batting average, .797 OPS, 170 HR, and 452 RBI. Last season, Soler hit .250, had an .853 OPS, 36 HR, and 75 RBI with the Marlins. Soler's ability to hit 36 HR while playing half his games in a big ballpark in Miami, could be a nice selling point to the Mariners front office.

Free agent hitters have often shied away from coming to Seattle due to the fact that T-Mobile Park is a pitcher's park and has an impact on a players' offensive statistics. Soler played each of his last two seasons in Marlins Park which is a pitchers paradise. For his career, Soler slugged .474 and hit 25 HR at Marlins Park over 111 games. His slugging percentage was unaffected by the Marlins big ballpark, as he slugged seven points higher than his career average in that stadium. The Mariners reportedly have taken an interest in Soler. If the Mariners decide to sign Soler, he would be a positional fit, and have the ability to hit for power at T-Mobile Park.

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