MLB Insider emphasizes Mariners' tough payroll situation with struggling veterans

Payroll is quite a touchy subject for many Mariners fans. With a total payroll allocation of $148.3 million, the Mariners are right around league-average but quite a bit away from the sport's top spenders like the Mets ($317.8 million), Yankees ($309.4 million), and Astros ($255.3 million). While Jerry Dipoto has hinted that they may be able to increase the budget slightly, it's still unlikely that they'll be top contenders for pricey free agents like Juan Soto or Alex Bregman.

To many, the lack of spending is the team's biggest problem and a direct contributor to the Mariners falling short of the postseason once again. To others, the issue doesn't lie in how much is being spent, but moreso where the money is going. After all, teams like the Tigers and Guardians are playoff-bound despite being among the bottom 10 teams for payroll, and three other teams in the postseason bracket (Orioles, Brewers, and Royals) have lower payrolls than the Mariners.

The best illustration of this point is the pair of Mitches that are currently on the roster. Mitch Haniger was the highest-paid Mariner in 2024, earning a total salary of $16 million with an upcoming player option of $17.5 million. Because his overall production was so poor (.620 OPS, 84 OPS+, -0.2 rWAR), he would be remiss not to exercise this part of his contract. In a similar vein, Mitch Garver was paid $10.5 million in 2024 and stands to make $12 million in 2025 while being just as unproductive as Haniger (.627 OPS, 85 OPS+, -0.1 rWAR). In essence, Seattle will likely end up spending nearly $30 million for two replacement-level players in the lineup.

In a conversation with Wyman & Bob on Seattle Sports, MLB Insider Jon Morosi discussed the team's situation, saying that while the Mariners are hardly the first team to make bad bets on pricey free agent signings, their relatively tight budget is impacted more than with other teams who are often able to simply "outspend their mistakes."

Morosi's initial suggestion was to try and find an organization willing to take on these bad contracts, comparing this to the move made to offload Jarred Kelenic and Marco Gonzales to the Braves in the most recent offseason. While this deal ended up creating an opportunity for Luke Raley to be a real upgrade over Kelenic, it's doubtful the Mariners will be able to take a similar path without conceding serious prospect equity or at least one of their prized starting pitchers.

Alternatively, the team could swap bad contracts for other bad contracts in the hopes that these players would be able to rediscover themselves after a change of scenery. Morosi referenced a deal made in 2009 where the Mariners tried this, sending a struggling Carlos Silva to the Cubs in exchange for a faltering Milton Bradley. It didn't lead to impactful results for either team as 2010 would be Silva's final year at the major league level while Bradley was released early in the 2011 season after being wholly unimpressive.

The front office has quite a bit of work to do if they want to avoid disappointing fans for a third year in a row. Big roster moves are coming this offseason and there are several faces that are likely headed to new opportunities elsewhere. Ownership may be willing to expand the budget slightly, but by itself, slightly increased spending may be insufficient to make a real change. If the team can find a way to free up the money currently tied up in these two disappointing 2024 acquisitions, it would open the door for them to acquire the names they'll really need to field a competitive roster in 2025.