5 players who were non-tendered that the Mariners should look at in free agency

The offseason is here, and the stove is hot. We have written time and time again this offseason that the depth of this free agent class is not there, but the pool is deeper now that the non-tender deadline has come and gone. Teams had to solidify their 40 man rosters by November 17th, and that means players are being released. Last year, Cody Bellinger was the most notable non-tender, and he could be on his way to signing a mega deal this offseason.

The Mariners are an interesting team to watch this offseason, because they could either go big like the fans want, or do what they did last year and disappoint the fans. The M's finished 88-74 and missed the playoffs by one game in 2023. They added bats like Teoscar Hernandez and Kolten Wong, along with free agents AJ Pollock and Tommy La Stella. All were disappointments, and only Teoscar Hernandez remained with the team come season's end.

Will the Mariners add this offseason? I am confident they will. Maybe not Shohei Ohtani or Cody Bellinger, but there are plenty of guys who could help round out the roster for 2024 and beyond. Here are my top 5 free agents, who were non-tendered last week, who i hope the Mariners at least take a look at.

Honorable Mentions - familiar faces that could return to Seattle?

Daniel Vogelbach, Kyle Lewis, Trevor Gott, and Penn Murphy all were non-tendered and are now free agents. Should we bring any of them back? I would say no to Vogelbach and Lewis, unfortunately. Vogelbach has struggled his last few seasons, while Kyle Lewis has not stayed healthy since his 2020 Rookie of the Year campaign. Vogelbach was a fan favorite in Seattle, and if you know me at all, you know he is a favorite of mine as well. But I just do not see a fit for him in Seattle. I wish both Vogey and Lewis well, just not in Seattle.

I do see value in bringing back Trevor Gott and Penn Murphy. Murphy will miss most, if not all of 2024 because he had Tommy John Surgery. He has already been released by the Mariners, Mets and Braves this offseason. Bringing him back as a non-roster invitee and placing him on the 60-man could be the way to go. Gott struggled with the Mets after the Mariners traded him to New York last season, but he really did pitch well for the Mariners. He had a 4.03 ERA with the Mariners, and a 2.98 FIP in 29 innings.