3 things the Mariners MUST do this offseason if they want to contend in 2024

I believe that Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners know what they need to do this offseason. In fact, I think that they have known this for the last couple of years, really since the offseason before the 2022 season. Before Logan Gilbert and George Kirby broke out in 2022, they had some major needs in the rotation, they needed a big-time bat in the outfield, and they needed someone to give them at least average production at second base.

What did they do in the 2021-22 offseason? They signed Robby Ray, traded for Jesse Winker, and traded for Adam Frazer. They followed that up with acquiring Luis Castillo at the 2022 trade deadline. Obviously, Frazier and Winker didn't work out, but with those 2 acquisitions and the development of Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, they had a very solid rotation.

They still had some issues in the lineup, so what did they do in 2023? Well, they went out and acquired Teoscar Hernandez, Kolten Wong, and AJ Pollock. Do you see the theme here? Dipoto and the front office people know the weaknesses; they just haven't exactly hit on the players that they have identified. If Winker was in 2022 what he was in 2021, or Teo was in 2023 what he was in 2022, this offense is so much better!

I think that Dipoto knows what he needs to do to make this team better. They have either just invested in the wrong player, or been about 1 or 2 players short of really going for it. This is the offseason that reality sets in. Dipoto and Hollander know the issues with the way that this roster is constructed, and I truly think that they know how to fix it. Will they be aggressive enough? Will they have the financial flexibility to do this? Well, this offseason will be an entertaining one and one that will show us where Dipoto, Hollander, and John Stanton stand with this Mariners team.