Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto spoke to reporters (together with Adam Jude and Ryan Divish of The Seattle Instances) previous to the membership’s recreation in opposition to the Athletics as we speak in regards to the upcoming offseason and the membership’s plans after developing simply quick within the postseason race for the second season in a row. Of notice is the truth that Dipoto instructed reporters that they membership has no intention of dealing from its rotation this winter so as to improve different areas of the roster, with Divish quoting Dipoto as having referred to the notion as “Plan Z” for the membership as they head into the offseason.
For all of Seattle’s faults this yr, the rotation can’t be thought-about amongst them. Seattle starters led the league with a collective 3.39 ERA this yr, ranked third with a 3.63 FIP, racked up essentially the most strikeouts with 879, and with 931 2/3 innings of labor offered extra quantity than some other MLB rotation this yr. The group’s high quintet of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Luis Castillo, and Bryan Woo will end the yr having made 149 of the membership’s 162 begins, with only one begin made by a pitcher aside from the aforementioned group and sixth starter Emerson Hancock.
It’s a exceptional stage of each dominance and sturdiness from the membership’s high starters that fully justified their determination to half methods with Marco Gonzales and Robbie Ray over the offseason, sacrificing rotation depth so as to enhance flexibility to deal with different areas of the roster. Even so, it’s simple to grasp why the membership wouldn’t be desirous about returning to such a method this winter. It might be reckless for Seattle to imagine its high starters will once more have the ability to take the mound for greater than 90% of the membership’s begins. If something, the membership is missing in depth choices for the rotation beside Hancock, with Jhonathan Diaz standing as the one different starter on the membership’s 40-man roster.
Fortuitously, it appears the membership additionally expects much less turnover on the positional facet this winter, when in comparison with final yr’s overhaul of the lineup. The 2023-24 offseason noticed the Mariners half methods with Teoscar Hernandez, Eugenio Suarez, Jarred Kelenic, and Mike Ford with Ty France following them out the door throughout the 2024 season. After spending a lot of final winter seeking to exchange Kelenic and Hernandez’s manufacturing within the outfield, Jude relays that Dipoto believes the membership’s outfield combine to be pretty set headed into 2025 with Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena, and Victor Robles because the membership’s beginning choices.
It’s exhausting to argue with that evaluation. Regardless of a second straight season the place he began off sluggishly, Rodriguez continues to be the membership’s $200MM+ participant who gives a four-win ground when wholesome together with his stellar middle area protection and offense that ranges from stable to spectacular. In the meantime, Arozarena was the membership’s high acquisition over the summer time with a 120 wRC+ since becoming a member of the Mariners. Robles being assured of a beginning job with Seattle subsequent yr would’ve been a shock just a few months in the past, however he’s seemed like a special participant than the one who struggled to stay as much as the hype as a former high prospect with the Nationals since becoming a member of the Mariners: In 75 video games together with his new membership, he’s slashed .327/.395/.464 with 29 stolen bases in 30 makes an attempt because the common leadoff hitter in Seattle.
With that being stated, Dipoto did go away the door open to acquisitions in different areas of the roster. As Jude notes, Dipoto steered that the Mariners’ sturdy end to the season (they’ve gone 19-13 since firing supervisor Scott Servais in late August) leads him to consider the membership isn’t removed from returning to the postseason, however they’ll discover upgrades to their infield combine this winter nonetheless. That needs to be pretty doable for a membership that struggled to place up even league common numbers at second base, third base, and shortstop this yr whereas counting on a place change for Luke Raley and a deadline rental in Justin Turner to shore up first base.
Between the regular manufacturing of Cal Raleigh and the looming presence of high prospect Harry Ford at Double-A, it’s exhausting to think about the membership seeking to improve behind the plate this winter. It’s additionally simple to think about the membership staying inner at first base with a platoon of Raley and prospect Tyler Locklear, although that may probably be a step backwards from the manufacturing Turner offered down the stretch in opposition to lefties. Dylan Moore stays a stable utility possibility for the membership off the bench, and it will be one thing of a shock to see the membership transfer on from shortstop J.P. Crawford with two assured years left on his contract.
That leaves second and third base as the simplest locations for the membership to improve, with Jorge Polanco’s $12MM membership possibility unlikely to be picked up and Rojas pretty simple to maneuver right into a part-time function. Given the membership’s basic avoidance of great contracts for place gamers in free company beneath Dipoto, it’s exhausting to think about them going huge for a high infield possibility like Alex Bregman, or Willy Adames. Even so, there could possibly be upgrades to be present in decrease tiers of free company or on the commerce market. Brandon Lowe of the Rays and Nico Hoerner of the Cubs are among the many infield choices who might see their names come up in commerce talks this winter, whereas Gleyber Torres or Ha-Seong Kim could possibly be accessible to the Mariners in free company, although they’d probably should go exterior of their typical consolation zone to land both participant.
