All offseason, Mariners fans have been clamoring for that big move. Whether it comes via trade or from a FA addition, fans want the Mariners to do more than "just" adding Kolten Wong and Teoscar Hernandez. I love those two moves, but in a way the fans are right. The Mariners still need something else in their lineup if they want to compete.
Mariners involved in Bryan Reynolds talks
It's why we should all get a bit excited in hearing the news that is coming out of Pittsburgh related to their star outfielder, Bryan Reynolds. Jon Morosi has a good pulse for everything related to this story and made it known that it seems as if the Mariners are both closer than they were a week ago to acquiring Bryan Reynolds, as well as leading the charge as the likely favorite to do so.
It wont be cheap to get Reynolds, but another year is gone and his value slowly drops because of that, as teams will pay a premium to get all that control before a player hits free agency. He still has a few years left, but has also requested a trade out of Pittsburgh, meaning the chance is higher than ever that he finally gets moved.
An outfield of Bryan Reynolds, Julio Rodriguez, and Teoscar Hernandez? That sounds incredible to me, and I would love to see a lineup trotting those three guys out there somewhere in the top 5 every night. Speaking of Julio Rodriguez...
Happy 22nd Birthday to Julio Rodriguez!
It's crazy to me that Julio Rodriguez is only 22 years old now. You would think that someone making high impact plays in the playoffs, putting together a .280/25/25 season, and playing good defense in centerfield would be a player in their prime, not a baby-faced rookie.
Yet, that's exactly where we are at. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Julio has been out and about with his girlfriend celebrating his birthday and seems to be having an incredibly fun offseason. After the incredible showing in 2022, my dude definitely deserves it. Looking forward to plenty of fantastic years to come as a fan watching Julio.
Prospect Checkup
We finish off today's Mariners news by giving a reminder that International signing day isn't that far away. We should see some impressive new faces head to the Mariners organization, headlined by Felnin Celestin.
There are also going to be a handful of prospects playing in the WBC, headlined by 2021 1st round pick Harry Ford. He is one of the top players on the team from Great Britain, and will be playing in Phoenix against the US, Mexico, Colombia, and Canada in early March.
Go Mariners!