Talkin' Baseball rips Mariners for not taking advantage of window this offseason

The Seattle Mariners’ offseason has been under scrutiny from every corner of Major League Baseball, and it continues to pile up. This time, Talkin’ Baseball co-host Jake Storiale and former MLB player Trevor Plouffe weighed in with their thoughts that Mariners fans might find painfully accurate.

When discussing which team had the worst offseason, Plouffe didn’t hesitate in his harsh assessment.

"The Mariners I think have had the worst offseason relative to my expectations of them." He doubled down, calling their offseason a “non-factor." But the most damning critique? Plouffe argued that Seattle isn’t just missing the chance to be a World Series contender — they’re squandering the opportunity to build a dynasty.

Yes, as in, championships — plural.

And honestly, Mariners fans would be hard-pressed to disagree. Their championship window is wide open, and it’s obvious to anyone paying attention. Seattle boasts a core of young, high-upside talent both on the mound and in the field, with years of team control still in play. Players like Julio Rodríguez, Platinum Glove catcher Cal Raleigh, and a rotation featuring four homegrown starters form the foundation of a legitimate contender.

No one expects the Mariners to operate like the Mets, Yankees, or Dodgers, throwing money at every superstar available. That’s not who they are and, frankly, it doesn’t need to be. But what’s frustrating for fans is that Seattle has done the hard part. They’ve built a sustainable pipeline, developed award-winning talent, and put themselves in position to take the next step. Yet, instead of making an aggressive push to turn this talented group into a championship team, they’ve sat idly by.

Signing someone like Pete Alonso would have instantly transformed the lineup. A trade packaging a top prospect with Luis Castillo, who still has value but is approaching the back end of his prime, could bring in a true game-changer. There are paths to improvement, but the Mariners seem reluctant to explore them.

Nobody’s asking Seattle to become the next behemoth franchise. But a couple of strategic, high-impact additions could be the difference between another playoff heartbreak and a parade down Edgar Martinez Drive.

The American League remains winnable. The teams to beat, for example in Houston, Texas, Baltimore and New York are far from invincible. The question remains: if the Mariners know how close they are, why aren’t they doing whatever it takes to finish the job?

Because if they don’t, history doesn’t have a way of remembering teams that almost got there.