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5 Former Mariners we would hate to see back in 2024
There are a lot of former Mariners players available in Free Agency. We already covered the players we would love to see back. Now comes the question, Who would we HATE to see come back?
Earlier this week, there was an article here at SoDo Mojo that talked about 5 former Mariners players that we would love to be brought back for the 2024 season. Check it out, because it is a great read. But that got me thinking: Who are the former Mariners players I would HATE to see come back? Now, I am not saying I hate these players as people. I am just saying I would hate it if the Mariners brought them back. Some for on-the-field production, some because of clubhouse issues.
In Chris' article, he said he would not want to see Adam Frazier or Nelson Cruz back in 2024. While I do agree with him, I hope the Mariners bring back Cruz on a 1-day deal so he can retire as a Mariner. I have no clue if there is even interest from Nelly to do that or not, but he was beloved here in Seattle. Bringing him back in that capacity would be well received by everyone. As for Frazier, like Chris said, Not wanting to bring him back has less to do with what Frazier brings to the table, and more of us just wanting more than what he can bring.
Chris also mentioned Mike Zunino in his article. While he was loved by the fans here, Mike just does not have it anymore. Even in a backup role, I am out on Zunino. I loved him when he was here, but a part of me was happy to see the Mariners move on. He just did not live up to his 3rd overall draft pick in 2012. A player I view similarly is Ben Gamel. Gamel was great in 2017, where he hit .275 with 11 Home Runs with 59 RBI. But he has not lived up to that 2017 season. He has bounced around the league, and while I want him to succeed, I just want him to succeed elsewhere in 2024.
A Mariners player I don't want back: Jesse Winker, OF/DH
Jesse Winker's time in Seattle was extremely up and down. Coming off of his only All-Star appearance, he was the centerpiece of a trade with Cincinnati. If you remember, the Reds sent us Winker and 3B Eugenio Suarez for Justin Dunn, Jake Fraley, Brandon Williamson, and Connor Phillips. As it turns out, Geno was the true centerpiece of that deal. While Fraley had a nice 2023 season, and WIlliamson / Phillips both debuted in 2023, I think I would have made this deal even without WInker in it, given what Geno turned into.
Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch and a never-ending BRAWL broke out between the Mariners and the Angels pic.twitter.com/1MgFd55vhn
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 26, 2022
WInker, on the other hand, statistically speaking at least, was not good in a Mariners uniform. Sure, he took his walks, but that is about all he did. He lost almost all of his pop, and he struck out more than he had in his entire career. His lone bright spot was the brawl with the Angels that may have ignited the 14-game win streak. Almost 1 year ago to the day, our very own Chris O'Day again wrote a piece on what Winker was like here in Seattle. He never put in any work, let alone extra work. He pouted when he was not the DH, among a lot of things. He played about the worst defense you can play, and that is why the Mariners moved on from him.
A Mariners player I don't want back: Kolten Wong, 2B
Maybe the worst thing Jesse Winker did was go and get traded for Kolten Wong. I know, that is a little toxic of me to say, but am I wrong? Not since Chone Figgins have we watched a player play so poorly. Kolten had a track record of being a solid player. When the deal happened, especially after the things that were said about Winker, I was excited. Finally, a player that you can count on at second base. Boy, how wrong was I?
The Mariners sent Winker and Abraham Toro to the Brewers for Kolten Wong. While he never was an All-Star, he was a key player for both the Cardinals and Brewers. Then came his 2023 season. He hit just .165 for the Mariners. He was completely unplayable. His negative 0.9 fWAR ranks 1432 out of 1457 players in the Majors. His expectations were to solidify the second base position, and he just could not perform at all for the Mariners. He was released and managed to hit .300 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Go figure.
Two Mariners players I don't want back: Tommy La Stella and AJ Pollock
This is low-hanging fruit, I know. Both of these guys were added last offseason for depth and to help fill the DH void. Tommy La Stella was released on May 4th, and AJ Pollock was traded to the San Francisco Giants on July 31st. Pollock managed to not even hit his weight, hitting just .173 in 49 games for the Mariners. Pollock actually ranked worse than Kolten Wong in fWAR, with -1.3. That is good enough for 1448 out of 1457 players. That is almost hard to believe. We may not have to worry about them coming back, mostly because it is more likely that their careers are over than it is the Mariners give these two a second chance.
A Mariners player I don't want back: Jean Segura, Infield
If you can believe it, Jean Segura managed to be as bad as AJ Pollock last season. It has been a while since he was a member of the Seattle Mariners, and let's hope that that fact stays a distant memory. Segura was traded by the Mariners to Philidelphia before the 2019 season. He was a fine player in Philly, and that is why he signed with the Maimi Marlins. That is where Jean fell off the cliff. He managed to hit just .219, with just 3 home runs. He also had a war of -1.3, the same as Pollock. Both Segura and Pollock were among the 10 worst players of the 2023 season.
Overall, I highly douby and of these guys will be a Mariner again. Most of them may not ever play in the Major Leagues again. But just in case, I am asking both Jerry DiPoto and Justin Hollander, please, for the love of God, do not sign these former players. As always, Go Mariners!