The Mariners could win the offseason with one of these right-handed outfielders

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The Mariners have had a very busy offseason (something that Mariners fans have come to know well with Dipoto leading the ship). This roster has undergone a massive change with a new starter in five of the nine offensive positions (DH included). They have done this via free agency as well as trade and they have built quite a solid roster, all while they have been under a pretty strict financial budget. Dipoto and Hollander have done a great job addressing their biggest needs at both corner outfield positions, as well as second base.

This team, as it stands, would be a solid team heading into spring training where they can get a look at a few different people to see if anyone sticks out and forces their way on to the roster. The Mariners' payroll currently sits around $123 million, if you figure their budget is what it was last year, in that $140-$145 range, they still have quite a bit of flexibility.

You figure they want to keep a decent portion in case of any midseason trades, but let's say that's $10 million, which still leaves at least $7 million and possibly $12 million (both of the following options could be had for less than those amounts). If the Mariners really want to win this offseason, however, and make themselves the division favorite, they will be aggressive and try and sign one of the following outfielders.

The defensive specialist that crushes left-handed pitching - Michael A. Taylor

The Mariners are a team known for their pitching and defense. They have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball and have trotted out one of the better defenses each of the last couple of years, with guys like Julio, Kelenic, JP Crawford, Geno, and Cal all giving you above average to elite defense. Coming into 2024, there are certainly more question marks in regard to their defense.

The corner outfield spots will be occupied by a combination of Luke Raley, Mitch Haniger, and Dominic Canzone, which shouldn't inspire much confidence. Enter Michael A. Taylor, one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball. He posted elite metrics in outs above average (OAA) and defensive runs saved (DRS), while posting 90th percentile arm strength. Taylor could give Julio a day off (or a DH day) regularly while showing no significant defensive drop-off. He could also be a fourth or insurance corner outfielder who would give you elite corner outfield defense.

Check out some highlights from Michael A. Taylor's 2023, courtesy of The Baseball Hub

Taylor would also provide a lot of insurance and protection for both Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone. Both of those outfielders are left-handed, and Canzone figures to play into a platoon with Haniger, leaving Raley with a good chance to get a lot of at-bats. The part that is scary, is that if Raley struggles against lefties and Haniger gets hurt, you are rolling out two left-handed hitters quite often. Not to mention, your high minor's outfield depth (Marlowe, Trammell, and Deloach) are all left-handed as well.

Taylor slashed .252/.313/.602 with nine home runs in 112 plate appearances against lefties in 2023, which was good for a 146 wRC+. You could probably sign Taylor to a one-year deal, though it might take two years. It would probably take about $6-$9 million a year to get him, which is well within the Mariners budget (especially assuming his signing would likely result in Dylan Moore being traded) and would give them plenty of insurance.

The big stick with middle of the order potential, but is not great defensively - Adam Duvall

The Mariners currently are a little scary defensively, but over the years, they have struggled to find some middle of the order offense. Where Michael Taylor gives the team a lot of value defensively, and has hit lefties well recently, Duvall crushes both righties and lefties. This makes a lot of sense for a lot of the same reasons as I stated talking about Michael A. Taylor, but Duvall just can't give you the backup centerfield defense that Taylor can. What Duvall gives you is one of the most underrated bats in the game.

Check out these highlights from Adam Duvall, courtesy of Harrisonwitz99

We talked a lot about Duvall, and he is one of the most underrated bats in baseball. Duvall has been especially good over the last four years, running a slugging percentage of .530, which puts him in the top 40 in all of baseball. During that same time span, he has hit a home run once in every 13.45 at-bats, which puts him on a 37-home run pace in 500 plate appearances. Duvall would give you what would probably be considered one of the best number four or five outfielders in all of baseball.

Duvall isn't great defensively, though he is a former gold glover, he just isn't on that same level anymore. He is a solid corner outfielder, however, with surprising athleticism for a guy of his stature. He probably won't be able to spare Julio a day in centerfield, but he can definitely hold his own in a corner spot. Duvall shouldn't be too expensive either. He is 35 years old, so a one-year deal should be all it takes. They could probably get him to come to the pacific northwest with a salary of around $5 million or so.

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The defensive specialist that crushes left-handed pitching - Michael A. Taylor

The big stick with middle of the order potential, but is not great defensively - Adam Duvall

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