4 moves the Mariners could do to fix every hole in their lineup

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As we sit here trying to figure out what the Mariners are going to do with their lineup, there are a lot of questions that need to be answered. Even at the end of 2023, if you would've brought everyone back to the team, you were still looking at a team that wanted to add 1-2 more bats. You could've gotten away with one of them, but that would've been a Mariners lineup that still had Teoscar Hernandez, Eugenio Suarez, and Jarred Kelenic.

Now? Well, this is what the lineup could look like if you had to create one with the current players that wear a Seattle mariners uniform.

1. SS - JP Crawford
2. CF - Julio Rodriguez
3. C - Cal Raleigh
4. 3B - Luis Urias
5. 1B - Ty France
6. LF - Dylan Moore
7. RF - Dominic Canzone
8. DH - Jose Caballero
9. 2B - Josh Rojas

There are way too many holes in that lineup. Outside of your top two hitters, you don't have a single player hitting where they should be from 3-7. Raleigh should probably be your 5, and France should be your 7 with how he hit in 2023. I think it's fair to say that this lineup has 4 holes in it. 3B, DH, LF, and RF.

After the most recent trade of Jarred Kelenic, Evan White, and Marco Gonzales, there is an argument to be made that the Mariners are sitting with around $115-$120M, depending on where you look. It came out the other day that the Mariners are looking to get to between $150M and $170M. Let's try and split this about down the middle, and give them $40M to spend.

Knowing that the Mariners "have" $40M to spend, here are 4 moves that they can make to fill every hole in that lineup.
Current Salary ~$120M
Current Holes: DH, 3B, LF, RF

Mariners move #1: OF Jung Hoo Lee: 5YR/$75M ($15M AAV)

Jung Hoo Lee may be the player that I want more than anyone else in free agency for the Mariners. Anyone. Part of it is from a realism standpoint. If the Mariners sign Ohtani, while obviously incredible, they are unlikely to sign anyone else and it would also possibly mean we are punting deals for some combo of Gilbert/Kirby/Miller/Woo/Dumper down the line.

That's why Jung Hoo Lee is so fascinating. If the Mariners are that serious about cutting down on strikeout rate, he is literally the best option possible for that. Check out how many times he has struck out over the last 5 seasons in the KBO.

Strikeout rate: 179 Ks for a 6.38% K rate
Walk rate: 281 BB for a 10.02 BB rate
Batting average: .340

At just 25, he isn't even to his prime yet. Throw his name into the 1 or 2 spot in the order? Hot damn that's gonna be fun. He's even shown a bit of power, and I think you could expect 10-15 HR from him.

Also, I apologize if I'm stating his name incorrectly. It may be Lee Jung-Hoo, and I don't want to Americanize or insult anyone by typing his name in the wrong order. Hopefully, I'm forced to figure it out soon.

Fills a corner spot. Current Salary ~ $135M

Mariners move #2: 3B Jeimer Candelario: 4YR/$54M ($13.5M AAV)

I think this fits the role for the riskiest move that the Mariners would be taking. Candelario was a cinderella type want last year from a lot of teams, emerging from the relative unknown to post some really strong numbers over the last couple of seasons. 2021 was awesome, 2022 not so, and 2023 was really good again.

Which Candelario are you getting? Well, there is a big part of me that thinks the players who are pretty good offensive pieces find easier success when they are surrounded by better players. You consistantly throw Jung Hoo Lee, JP, and Julio on base in front of Candelario, and a 265 BA with 20 HR and 100 RBI is not out of the question.

I don't know that you slot him in the 4, I always struggle with lineup construction a bit. Maybe it's somewhere else. For someone with a handful of good seasons at the plate, I think it could be fun to start the year that way and see how it goes.

Not sure if it's as important, but you're getting a decent defender here as well. We always praise Perry Hill, and it has to be said that if he made Geno that good, he could likely help Candelario improve as well.

Fills 3B. Current Salary ~ $148.5M

Mariners move #3: OF Eddie Rosario: 1YR/$8M ($8M AAV)

I wanna put Lourdes Gurriel Jr here, I really do. I have to try and stay semi-realistic though, and that's already two bigger offensive signings than we have seen in a LONG time for the Mariners.

I think Rosario would be a lot of fun as a DH who can play OF when needed/required. He can play okay out there, and wouldn't be a black hole or a worry. He also brings experience, having won a World Series before, something the Mariners could use in their locker room. He doesn't walk a ton, but his K rate sits at just 24% and change the last two years after being a perenial 15% guy the five years before that. It's what the Mariners need.

He isn't flashy, but if he is going to be the 4th weapon that you add to the lineup? That's a massive win for the Mariners, even if it is on a one-year deal. Think of it like Pollock from last year, but it actually works out. Did I say 4th? I did, because the next acquisition comes from a trade for an old friend.

Fills a corner OF spot/DH. Current Salary ~ $156.5M

Mariners move #4: Trade Bryan Woo, Tayler Saucedo, and Ty Adcock to Cardinals for Tyler O'Neill and Ryan Helsley

I switched this up at the last minute. The Mariners send out Woo, Saucedo, and Adcock for your new corner OF, and the Sewald replacement in Saucedo. I include Adock knowing that the Cards need some bullpen help, and that you could float Adcock. Helsley is a big piece for them, but Woo brings a lot of youth and control to St. Louis to try and stabilize a young piece of the rotation. Maybe its a better piece than Adcock, but that's the outline of the idea.

The Mariners get O'Neill back, which would be somewhat fitting and funny since they just saw Marco leave, who originally was acquired for O'Neill. O'Neill has a great ceiling, can hit 30 HR, can swipe 15 bases, and plays solid defense. He also has struggled at times, and you could be looking at a prove-it-type season for him as he enters the final year of arb and will become a free agent next season.

Do I love this deal? Giving up Woo for a year of O'Neill? No, but getting two years of Helsley helps. You've got the pitching, and if it's not going to be the Rays, why not make another deal with the Cardinals to scratch each other's backs?

The Mariners take in about $7M here I think, and it's the final of their four moves.

Fills a corner OF spot. Current Salary ~ $163.5M

Here's what your team looks like. Within the constraints of what we think the Mariners have, this looks so much better.

1. SS - JP Crawford
2. LF - Jung Hoo Lee
3. CF - Julio Rodriguez
4. 3B - Jeimer Candelario
5. C - Cal Raleigh
6. RF - Tyler O'Neill
7. 1B - Ty France
8. DH - Eddie Rosario
9. 2B - Josh Rojas

Then you have Cabby, Moore, Hunt, and Urias on your bench. Maybe Canzone in place of one of them. I like the sound of that a lot more than what it looked like up at the top. Come on Mariners, make it happen.

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